Patricia Torres
Specialist, Corruption Prevention
Patricia Torres joined the Basel Institute’s Green Corruption programme in Latin America in May 2025 as a Specialist, Corruption Prevention. She is based in Lima and works in Peru, Ecuador and Bolivia.
Patricia has 15 years of experience in the formulation and implementation of environmental public policies, with an emphasis on forestry and wildlife.
Before joining the Basel Institute, she worked as a specialist in the public sector (Organismo de Supervisión de los Recursos Forestales y de Fauna Silvestre, OSINFOR; and Servicio Nacional Forestal y de Fauna Silvestre, SERFOR) and in civil society, leading project implementation (Sociedad Peruana de Derecho Ambiental, SPDA, among others). She has also provided consulting services to entities such as the Ministry of Environment of Peru (MINAM), the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) and the Basel Institute on Governance.
Patricia has actively participated in the formulation and approval process of Peru’s current Forestry and Wildlife Law and its regulations and guidelines. She has also contributed to the National Strategy to Reduce Illegal Wildlife Trafficking in Peru (2017–2027) and the associated Action Plan (2017–2022), among other policy instruments, in coordination with relevant national, regional and local stakeholders.
Patricia is a lawyer and holds a Second Specialisation Degree in Environmental and Natural Resources Law from the Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú (PUCP). She is a candidate for a Master’s Degree in Conservation of Forest Resources from the Universidad Nacional Agraria La Molina (UNALM). She has also undertaken specialised studies in public management (PUCP), diversified management of natural tropical forests (CATIE) and forest governance (University Wolverhampton), among others. She joined the Peruvian Bar Association in 2011.
Publications
Preventing corruption in the timber value chain: Risk management experiences in Latin America
Corruption in the timber value chain is a major challenge for environmental sustainability and governance in Latin America.
This report presents the application of a corruption risk management approach by environmental authorities in Bolivia, Ecuador and Peru, implemented through technical assistance from the Basel Institute on Governance’s Green Corruption programme.
Key corruption risks
The report describes the main corruption risks identified in collaboration with five environmental authorities responsible for integrity in the timber value chain, covering:
- The granting of forestry rights
- The issuance and use of timber transport waybills
- The control and supervision of authorised actors.
The main corruption risks identified involve:
- Improper agreements between public servants and third parties
- Abuse of authority
- Undue influence or pressure from superiors
Mitigation measures
Planned mitigation measures fall into four main categories:
- Regulatory improvements, including updating procedures, closing implementation gaps and improving efficiency
- Strengthened supervision, such as file tracking systems and alerts to reduce discretion
- Enhanced communication, including multicultural approaches for Indigenous and rural communities
- Cross-cutting measures to promote integrity such as awareness-raising, ethical reflection and training
Given common patterns across natural resource sectors, these measures may be relevant for other environmental agencies, though they should be adapted to local contexts.
Lessons learned
The experiences in Bolivia, Ecuador and Peru highlight the importance of tailoring risk management approaches to national contexts, ensuring institutional leadership and fostering inter-institutional collaboration. They also underline the value of peer learning and cross-border exchange.
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