Municipal environmental management in Neuquén: institutional capacities and current challenges.

Abstract

Municipalities, as local territorial units, have undergone changes in their functions and responsibilities since their recognition as administrative entities in the national constitution. These changes include new functions that modern societies increasingly demand from their governments, such as public safety, culture, and recreation—complementing the basic services that municipalities have traditionally provided. In this context, environmental issues have progressively gained visibility on the local agenda, although their incorporation has not been uniform or without challenges. This article aims to analyze how municipalities in the province of Neuquén have integrated environmental functions into their institutional structure, considering their actual capacities, available regulatory frameworks, and the practices developed in each territory. Using a comparative approach and based on interviews with environmental managers, the study seeks to identify both structural constraints and emerging local strategies that shape the current landscape of municipal environmental management. The article is structured in three sections: a general review of the environmental role of local governments in Argentina; an analysis of Neuquén’s municipalities in terms of institutional capacities and environmental management; and a final reflection on the current challenges to strengthening the environmental role of local governments.