Ricardo Navarro

A Salvadoran environmental scientist and activist combating deforestation and promoting renewable energy.

Dr. Ricardo Navarro, founder of El Salvador's Centro de Tecnología Apropiada (CESTA), has dedicated his life to addressing environmental degradation in Central America. Born in 1947, Navarro witnessed El Salvador's civil war and its ecological toll, which fueled his passion for sustainable development. His organization, CESTA, focuses on renewable energy projects, reforestation, and waste reduction.

Navarro's most notable achievement is his campaign against the use of toxic agrochemicals, which contaminated water sources and harmed rural communities. He successfully lobbied for bans on harmful pesticides like DDT and promoted organic farming alternatives. Additionally, he designed low-cost solar ovens and biogas systems, empowering impoverished households to reduce reliance on firewood.

A vocal critic of corporate environmental exploitation, Navarro led protests against mining projects threatening El Salvador's ecosystems. His advocacy contributed to the 2017 landmark legislation prohibiting metal mining nationwide—a global first. Recognized with the 2009 Right Livelihood Award, Navarro's work exemplifies how local activism can drive systemic change.