"El Centro de Incidencia Ambiental (CIAM) is a non-governmental organization that actively protects Panama's invaluable natural resources against threats posed by activities that are incompatible with sustainable development. CIAM's mission is to promote environmental protection, encourage citizen participation through the dissemination of knowledge, and promote the building of networks and accountability in an effort to influence decisions and relevant policies. CIAM works to help provide access to public information, support citizen participation, defend environmental rights, and disseminate sustainable development practices and alternatives. "