Environmental Protection in Brazil: A Matter of Principles

Abstract

This paper's intention is to make an approach on the environmental protection in Brazil and it's main issues concerning the environmental question. It exposes the obstacles faced by civil society and Brazilian public administration on handling with it. Moreover, an insight on the legal and technical debate is done, so foreign Brazilianists can understand the game of words is being developed on constitutional law with the concept of principles as a value - according to the Brazilian neoconstitutionalist doctrine in play for the last twenty years. Principles are being detoured on it´s original meaning and conception to evade state's responsibility on protecting environment as established by the 1988 constitution. The whole issue on the theme grasp constitutional, budgetary, financial, administrative and environmental law. An overview on these main guidelines on law is done to portrait the current environmental protection issue inside the country.