Compatibility and strategic convergence military and environmental approaches towards south atlantic brazilian oceanic islands

Abstract

Several Marine Protected Areas have been created in the world, in part to fulfill one of the United Nations Convention on Biodiversity goals as to preserve at least 10% of each country’s coastal and marine areas. This study aims at analyzing military presence in the Brazilian oceanic islands of Fernando de Noronha, Trindade & Martin Vaz and São Pedro & São Paulo and how it interacts with the environmental approach, since the three encompass Large Scale Marine Protected Areas. A brief overview about the importance of the islands to Brazilian geopolitical thinkers is shown, as well as the theoretical issues regarding the military presence in preserved environmental areas. Those results are then applied to the three Large Scale Marine Protected Areas’ present situation, with the conclusion pointing to a positive feedback loop, with significant and favorable results on environmental and military approaches, as well as regarding geopolitical goals.