Proposals to save Lake Titicaca

Document in Spanish

Lake Titicaca, the highest navigable body of water on the planet, is undergoing an alarming crisis caused by climate change, prolonged drought and high levels of pollution. This situation seriously affects both nearby rural communities and the region’s ecosystem.
Reduced rainfall, the dumping of sewage and solid waste, together with heavy metal pollution from mining and urban activities, are deteriorating the water quality and health of the lake and the basin in general.
Added to this are national environmental threats such as deforestation and forest fires in the country’s lowlands, which have altered the natural rainfall cycle.
Given this critical situation, coordinated action between governments, social organisations and academics is essential to develop a comprehensive and sustainable restoration plan.
In this context, the TIERRA Foundation has commissioned Xavier Lazzaro, one of Bolivia’s leading experts on the subject, to prepare this document, which focuses on the formulation of concrete proposals—both structural and non-structural—aimed at controlling pollution, ecological restoration and adaptation, as far as possible, to the effects of climate change. and have been designed with a respectful approach to local realities and the populations that inhabit the territory.
The document focuses on the most densely populated and polluted areas of the Bolivian sector of Lake Menor del Titicaca, in particular the northern (from Huatajata to Puerto Pérez) and central (from Quehuaya to Chojasivi) regions of the coastline.
Special emphasis is placed on the Katari Basin — and in particular on the Seke, Seco, Pallina and Katari rivers — as well as their mouths in Cohana Bay (between Quehuaya, Isla Pariti, Cohana and Chojasivi).
The aim is to contribute to the design of comprehensive strategies that improve water quality, ecosystem health and community well-being.
For structural solutions to have a real impact, they must be accompanied by sustained processes of environmental education, citizen participation and a renewed ethic of respect for nature.
This process requires strong political will, long-term financing and commitments that transcend government cycles. Only then will it be possible to move towards a more balanced relationship between human development and the conservation of Lake Titicaca.
The situation outlined in this document should motivate us to act collectively, seeking effective and sustainable solutions that will allow us to recover and preserve this important ecosystem, in constant dialogue with rural and indigenous communities and with the environment.
Finally, it is important to note that this study has been made possible thanks to the support of Diakonía – Bolivia. We hope that the document will be useful and of interest to all readers.

Juan Pablo Chumacero Ruíz, Director Ejecutivo, Fundación TIERRA