Environmental Management In Brazil Research Articles

Design of Socio-Environmental ICMS in Pernambuco: Analysis of Legislative Progression and Environmental Mitigation Perspectives

Objective: Investigate the evolution of environmental legislation and the Socio-Environmental ICMS, analyzing its design and how it fits into the process of environmental mitigation and combating climate change in Pernambuco. Theoretical Framework: It sought to discuss the topic of public environmental management, ICMS Socio-environmental, conservation units and solid waste, sufficient to understand the context of the investigation. Method: Exploratory, qualitative study, descriptive analysis of environmental legislation and Socio-Environmental ICMS of Pernambuco during the period from 2000 to 2022. Data collection was through information contained in the portals of the Court of Auditors of Pernambuco, the Pernambuco Environmental Agency, in addition to the federal and Pernambuco Legislative Assembly. Results and Discussion: We identified 19 records relating to the country's environmental management and 15 relating to the Socio-Environmental ICMS in the state of Pernambuco. Among the main ones, we note the National System of Conservation Units, the National Water and Basic Sanitation Agency and the National Solid Waste Policy. This data contributes to the process of environmental mitigation and combating climate change in the state. Research Implications: Provide updated data that can be applied to research in the areas of environmental management in Brazil and Ecological Fiscal Transfer, specifically the ICMS Socioambiental of Pernambuco. Originality/Value: This study contributes to the literature by updating and consolidating the legal instruments of environmental policy in Brazil and the distribution of ICMS Socioambiental in Pernambuco.

The New Paths of Environmental Management In Brazil: Reflections on Participatory Governance in the Environmental Permit Process

Objective: The objective of this study is to investigate environmental management in Brazil, with the aim of recovering the trajectory of the legal landmarks that anchor it and highlight the regulatory proposals for licensing currently under discussion in the National Congress, which point in the direction of a greater flexibility of the process and greater rigor in the observance of deadlines, alongside the weakening of the role of public hearings. Theoretical Reference: In this topic, the main concepts and theories that underpin the research are presented. Above all, the discussion on environmental governance is highlighted, which provides a solid basis for understanding the context of research. Method: The methodology adopted for this research comprises a literature review on participatory governance and analysis of primary and secondary data. The data collection was carried out by means of documentary analysis. Results and Discussion: The results obtained revealed the setback that is insinuated with the deconstruction of legal conquests that were supposed to be consolidated, which denotes a clear trend of reformulation of Brazilian environmental policy informed by the primacy of economic interests over the sustainable, and democratic, management of the environment. In the discussion section, these results are contextualized in the light of the theoretical benchmark, highlighting the implications and relationships identified. Possible discrepancies and limitations of the study are also considered in this section. Research Implications: The practical and theoretical implications of this research are discussed, providing insights into how the results can be applied or influence practices in the field of environmental management in the country. These implications can cover the areas of sustainability, participatory management, socio-environmental justice, among others. Originality/Value: This study contributes to the literature by critically addressing proposals for restructuring environmental licensing in the country. The relevance and value of this research is evidenced by helping to understand the trajectory of environmental legal milestones and the impacts that the proposed changes suggest.

Agroforestry Systems on Brazilian Legal Protected Lands: Permanent Preservation Areas (PPA) and Legal Reservation Areas (LRA)

Forests preservation and restoration are crucial, to sustain ecological and social benefits. Agroforestry systems are important land use restoration instruments because they allow food production combined with sustainable forest management. There are different kinds of agroforestry systems, and they can occur in degradedareas andin forested areas which are legally protected or not. In Brazil, where forests cover 46.5% of land area, deforestation continues and there are several challenges to protect and restore forests. Permanent Preservation Areas (PPA) and Legal Reservation Areas (LRA), which have been institutionalized in Brazilian Environmental Legislation require the maintenance of areas with native vegetation within rural properties restricting certain activities. Historically, they have not been duly respected by most land owners where riverbanks, springs, slopes and other areas have been occupied suppressing natural vegetation. Thus, there are possibilities for ecological management and use of PPA and mainly LRA, which seek to both preserve environmental resources and contribute to food production and income, especially in the campesino smallholders. This paper discusses possibilities and limitations of using agroforestry systems in PPA and LRA, pointing out that agroforestry systems are also feasible for restoring degraded areas and for expanding enriched areas and uses of their natural resources. Despite legal possibilities, a historical problem in Brazil is related to the lack of compliance with environmental legislation. Moreover, the scenario of deforestation and several difficulties to advance in environmental management in Brazil have been harming this conservationist possibilities.

Challenges in Using Earth Observation (EO) Data to Support Environmental Management in Brazil

This paper presents the results of research designed to explore the challenges involved in the use of Earth Observation (EO) data to support environmental management Brazil. While much has been written about the technology and applications of EO, the perspective of end-users of EO data and their needs has been under-explored in the literature. A total of 53 key informants in Brasilia and the cities of Rio Branco and Cuiaba were interviewed regarding their current use and experience of EO data and the expressed challenges that they face. The research builds upon a conceptual model which illustrates the main steps and limitations in the flow of EO data and information for use in the management of land use and land cover (LULC) in Brazil. The current paper analyzes and ranks, by relative importance, the factors that users identify as limiting their use of EO. The most important limiting factor for the end-user was the lack of personnel, followed by political and economic context, data management, innovation, infrastructure and IT, technical capacity to use and process EO data, bureaucracy, limitations associated with access to high-resolution data, and access to ready-to-use product. In general, users expect to access a ready-to-use product, transformed from the raw EO data into usable information. Related to this is the question of whether this processing is best done within an organization or sourced from outside. Our results suggest that, despite the potential of EO data for informing environmental management in Brazil, its use remains constrained by its lack of suitably trained personnel and financial resources, as well as the poor communication between institutions.

Gestão Ambiental Portuária: fragilidades, desafios e potencialidades no porto do Rio Grande, RS, Brasil

Port Environmental Management: weaknesses, challenges and opportunities in the Port of Rio Grande, RS, Brazil Lately established when compared to the international scenario, the port environmental management in Brazil is mainly based on the processes of environmental licensing. The conditions of these license processes reflect how management is not related to environmental planning, but instead in mitigating existing impacts. In addition, environmental management occurs in a fragmented way and not in phase with port development, arising the need of national policies that allow connections between port processes with environmental sustainability. This article describes the results of a detailed diagnosis of the processes of environmental planning and management of the Port of Rio Grande, RS - Brazil, as a representative of the Brazilian port sub- sector, whose model of environmental management is still fragmented and barely implemented. The work also reflects the experience of the first author who acted for some time under the Division of Environment, Health and Safety in the Port of Rio Grande (DMASS). It was developed based on a qualitative research methodology applied to document analyses and semi- structured interviews with key actors involved in the actions of port planning and management environmental at national and local levels. The institutional experiences at DMASS was shown as a positive methodological tool for conducting the qualita- tive assessment of the critical processes related to port environmental management. The interviews, in turn, permitted a better basis on issues of public policy and environmental governance within the port environment, becoming a key part to corrobo

Challenges of teaching corporate environmental management in Brazil

This paper sheds light on the main challenges of teaching Corporate Environmental Management (CEM) in Brazil. Thus, we analysed the main challenges for CEM in Brazil from the viewpoint of teachers. The objective of the research is achieved by means of interviews performed with five renowned professors responsible for teaching CEM in undergraduate courses. Results indicate five types of barriers for teaching CEM: weak integration of other teachers in the teaching of CEM; low level of acceptance of CEM as a subject by the peers teachers; a lack of focus on business while teaching CEM; a scarcity of CEM teaching materials appropriate for the realities of Brazil; and a relative lack of interest among some students in CEM. Teaching CEM is fundamental for the education of more responsible students, but little is known about teaching CEM in Brazil.

Environmental management in Brazil: is it a completely competitive priority?

Current studies indicate a need to integrate environmental management with manufacturing strategy, including topics like cross-functional integration, environmental impact, and waste reduction. Nevertheless, such studies are relatively rare, existing still a need for research in specific regional contexts. At the same time, the results found are not unanimous. Due to these gaps, the objective of this article is to analyze if environmental management can be considered a new competitive priority for manufacturing enterprises located in Brazil. A cross-sectional survey was conducted with Brazilian companies certified by ISO 14001. Sixty-five valid questionnaires were analyzed through Structural Equation Modelling (SEM). The first conclusion is that environmental management presents a preventive approach in the sample analyzed, focused on eco-efficiency, what potentially do not to create a competitive advantage. This preventive approach inhibits environmental management from being regarded as a new competitive manufacturing priority, in the full sense as defined by the literature. Another important result is that environmental management, although following a preventive focus, may influence positively the four manufacturing priorities: cost, quality, flexibility and delivery.

The Brazilian Audit Tribunal's role in improving the federal environmental licensing process

This article describes the role played by the Brazilian Audit Tribunal (Tribunal de Contas da União — TCU) in the external auditing of environmental management in Brazil, highlighting the findings of an operational audit conducted in 2007 of the federal environmental licensing process. Initially, it records the constitutional and legal framework of Brazilian environmental licensing, describing the powers and duties granted to federal, state and municipal institutions. In addition, it presents the responsibilities of the TCU in the environmental area, comparing these with those of other Supreme Audit Institutions (SAI) that are members of the International Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions (INTOSAI). It also describes the work carried out in the operational audit of the Brazilian environmental licensing process and its main conclusions and recommendations. Finally, it draws a parallel between the findings and recommendations made in Brazil with those of academic studies and audits conducted in other countries.

PAH biomarkers for human health risk assessment: a review of the state-of-the-art

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) are widely distributed in the environment, and some are carcinogenic to human beings. The study of biomarkers has helped clarify the nature and magnitude of the human health risks posed by such substances. This article provides a review of the state-of-the-art on PAH biomarkers for human health risk assessment and also discusses their applicability within the context of environmental management in Brazil. The article discusses the methodologies for determination of some biomarkers such as 1-hydroxypyrene and PAH-DNA adducts. Cytogenetic markers, frequency of chromosomal aberrations, and micronucleus induction were considered for the evaluation of cancer risk. The current stage of studies on validation of such biomarkers was also approached.

O Tribunal de Contas da União (TCU) e a gestão ambiental brasileira: experiência recente

A Constituição de 1988 ampliou a esfera de competência do Tribunal de Contas da União (TCU), assegurando-lhe maior poder de atuação, inclusive na área ambiental. A partir de 1998, com a definição de sua estratégia de atuação nessa área, e de forma crescente, o TCU vem desempenhando um importante papel na avaliação das políticas ambientais públicas do governo federal. A realização de diversas auditorias operacionais em instituições e programas governamentais têm resultado em minuciosos diagnósticos e relevantes recomendações, no sentido de tornar mais efetivas as políticas públicas ambientais. Este estudo descreve e comenta a evolução da fiscalização do TCU sobre a gestão ambiental brasileira nos últimos anos. Também é lembrada a atuação de entidades de fiscalização superiores de outros países na área ambiental. São analisados os critérios da estratégia de atuação ambiental do Tribuna de Contas, bem como as determinações e recomendações de algumas recentes deliberações envolvendo a gestão de recursos hídricos, o licenciamento ambiental e a avaliação ambiental estratégica. Este artigo procura relacionar a atuação do TCU na área ambiental com a busca por um controle preventivo, pedagógico e orientador da gestão pública, em substituição ao tradicional modelo de controle formalista e a posteriori. O artigo conclui que a atuação do tribunal é positiva para a sociedade, recomendando que seja ampliada.

Gestão e licenciamento ambiental no Brasil: modelo de gestão focado na qualidade do meio ambiente

Com base na legislação ambiental, especialmente na Constituição Federal e nas Leis nº 6.938/81 e nº 9.433/97, este artigo aborda o gerenciamento ambiental no Brasil, particularmente quanto ao licenciamento ambiental e ao controle de atividades potencialmente poluidoras, propondo, a partir daí, um modelo de gestão ambiental centrado na qualidade ambiental. Por mais de 20 anos, o licenciamento ambiental vem sendo constantemente aperfeiçoado sem que tenham sido alteradas suas bases: o atendimento aos padrões de lançamento de efluentes e a manutenção de um mínimo de qualidade das águas do corpo receptor. Além de manter o foco na qualidade ambiental, o modelo de gestão aqui sugerido busca integrar os procedimentos para a obtenção do licenciamento ambiental com os da outorga de direito do uso das águas, ampliando as possibilidades de se aplicarem instrumentos econômicos na gestão ambiental. Este artigo relata ainda a aplicação desse modelo, em caráter experimental, na implantação de uma indústria. Para isso, toma como exemplo um estudo de caso na bacia hidrográfica da baía da Ilha Grande, no estado do Rio de Janeiro. A principal dificuldade para sua aplicação foi a falta de dados mais precisos quanto às condições ambientais da região.