Analysis of the economic and environmental sustainability of the municipality of Cáceres-Pantanal, MT, Brazil

Abstract

Cáceres plays a significant role in the Brazilian economy through animal production, boasting one of the country's largest concentrations of cattle. The economic sector uses environmental assets, a common property of society, using renewable and non-renewable resources. This affects the sustainability and competitiveness of the economic and environmental system. The analysis is done using systems ecology and emergy synthesis. First, a system diagram is constructed to organize the relationships between the ecological components. The second step consists of constructing the emergy synthesis calculation tables of the flows illustrated in the diagrams. Finally, emergy indices are calculated to summarize and relate the emergy flows of the economy with those of the environment. The findings indicate a minimal contribution from local energy sources, suggesting the necessity for greater recycling and integration in swine production. This work could be useful for the elaboration of public policies common to all municipalities that are part of the Pantanal region. Biodiversity, tourism, and the inclusion of protected areas in economic development planning can be important environmental assets for sustainability, social inclusion, and job creation.