Environmental Sustainability Index of Rural Properties in the Federal District, Brazil

Abstract

The objective of this work was to build and apply environmental indicators to verify the environmental performance and diagnose the sustainability levels of the rural properties from Federal District, Brazil. Data analysis was performed based on the information required and declared to public administration. Exploratory sampling was applied, obtaining a sample population of 169 properties. It was decided to use the factor analysis methodology in order to verify the environmental performance and diagnose the sustainability levels of the rural properties. The results achieved allow us to state that most of the properties (91.49%) are in a state of severe unsustainability. The results also show that the remnants of native vegetation, when they exist, are not in sufficient proportion to the total size of the property according to what the legislation requires. The proposed model and the environmental indicators built from the environmental legislation proved to be an efficient, practical and low-cost tool for a satisfactory diagnosis about the measurement of the sustainability of Brazilian rural properties and in the identification of positive management situations in relation to the suitability for environmental laws.