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The current environmental crisis and intense degradation of natural capital make it increasingly evident the importance of including solutions for the conservation and recovery of ecosystems, such as the Payment for Environmental Services (PES). With an interdisciplinary character and survey of quantitative and qualitative data, the research carried out an evaluation of the ecosystem services and the potential of implementing a PES program in the region of Angra Doce, Paraná, Brazil, which is classified as a Special Area of Tourist Interest and is be listed as a priority area in accordance with the National Payment Policy for Environmental Services (PNPSA). From the results obtained, the region demonstrated that it has the potential to create municipal public policies for PES based on the cultural services established in the guidelines of the PNPSA an experience that can also be used by other Brazilian municipalities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Ecological Economic Zoning (EEZ) is an environmental management tool established in the National Environmental Policy (PNMA) and present in all states of Brazil. Since the 1990s, it has been implemented in Brazil; however, the attempts at implementation and the results obtained so far do not provide evidence of its effectiveness. Thus, this article seeks to understand the implementation of EEZ in Tocantins by analyzing the perceptions of local actors through the Collective Subject Discourse (CSD) method. The conclusion is that EEZ in Tocantins has not been implemented. Among the identified causes, institutional factors such as low administrative capacity, governance, and "political will" associated with the disconfiguration of its normative character prevail. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The Green Belt Biosphere Reserve, with 2.33 million hectares and its internal urban area with 220 thousand hectares, is configured as a water security territory and expresses a direct relationship between urban development and areas that ensure well-being and ecosystem services for 12% of Brazil's population. With seventy-eight municipalities that fully or partially integrate the GBBR, the socioeconomic differences and the different contexts of urbanization and governance reflect on territorial management at the local level and impact the environmental and regional sustainable development agendas. Objective: Based on a survey of environmental policies and correlations between economic and socio-environmental indicators on a municipal scale for the entire study area, this article assesses the level of development of the main environmental public policies and identifies the relationship between these policies and socio-environmental indicators. Originality: Although the Green Belt Biosphere Reserve is an area recognized by the United Nations (UN), the management of its territory depends on municipal actions that comprise it. Little attention has been paid to environmental management, especially in terms of public environmental policies and a broad and ongoing understanding of the conservation of this area. Results: The analysis shows that the different municipalities in the GBBR have different levels of implementation regarding Environmental Agenda. When considering the Municipal Plans for Urban Afforestation, Adaptation to Climate Change, Atlantic Forest and Solid Waste, only Guarujá, Mogi das Cruzes, Santos and São Paulo have these four policies in preparation or completed, while for 33.3% (n=25) of the municipalities, none of these agendas was developed, and a positive correlation was identified between the HDI and the largest number of implemented policies. Contribution: Large and medium-sized cities in the state of Sao Paulo, Brazil, present studies addressing ecological patterns and processes, however, they do not address specific questions on the environmental sector itself, which this paper aimed at providing. Conclusion: As the Green Belt accounts for 72% of the volume of drinking water in all of São Paulo, the disparities between the municipal indicators analyzed reinforce the need to adopt the GBBR as a platform for adequate governance to integrate policies at different scales for sustainable regional development. Systemic efforts are needed, especially at the municipal scale, in order to carry out adequate environmental management of the GBBR territory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The institutional framework of the National Environmental System assigns complex responsibilities to municipalities, which are often unviable in financial, technical, and operational terms. Cooperation emerges as an alternative to face the lack of resources and the inability of some municipalities to execute the guidelines provided for by the National Environmental Policy in an isolated way. This research examines the relationship between intermunicipal cooperation and municipal state capacities in the implementation of the environmental policy in Brazil, aiming to identify if state capacity, in different dimensions, is a relevant characteristic for municipalities participating in environmental public consortiums. This research used secondary data to employ a quantitative approach through logistic regression analysis, investigating the occurrence of intermunicipal cooperative arrangements in 4.479 Brazilian municipalities. In general terms, the results demonstrate that high administrative capacity and greater fiscal performance tend to reduce the incentives for the municipality to cooperate with others while implementing the PNMA at the local level. Also, the findings indicate that the availability of technical, political-relational, and institutional capacity increases the probability of cooperation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

How has the food issue evolved in Portugal and what are the potentialities and challenges for the construction of fairer, healthier and more sustainable food systems? This article addresses these questions by analysing the convergences and divergences between (i) government discourses and public policies around food, (ii) the alternative food networks developed by civil society and local power, and (iii) the proposals and initiatives of the organized family farming sector. It concludes that there is broad interest in the country for the issue of food transition, but that the social and environmental justice dimension is still largely missing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The proposal of a cartography of colonialism incites indisciplinary thinking, which transits in the interregnum of readings that analyze the movement of commodity capitalism, environmental conflicts and struggles for libertarian zones. In Brazil, the destruction of the Amazon forest, the mining tragedies and the violence against forest peoples are examples that place nature in a condition subdued by the colonialism of power. In this article, affiliat with epistemologies of the South to rethink the place of nature in environmental policy from the handicraft socioenvironmental practices in the Amazon, as in the case of Indigenous Lands and Extractive Reserves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to report an interview of Professor Lúcio José Sobral da Cunha (University of Coimbra) to Professor Jorge Luís de Oliveira Pinto Filho (UFERSA) on the contemporary environmental issue and the role of the University in this debate. For this, the interview was conducted in Coimbra, Portugal during a Post Doctoral Internship of Professor Jorge Pinto Filho under the guidance of Professor Lúcio Cunha. Initially, it addressed the following aspects: environmental and society relations; the environmental crisis; environmental debates; environmental policies and; the dimensions of environmental management and its operationalization. Later, he praised the themes: multidisciplinary research; the role of the university in the 21st century and; emerging university and regional development. Therefore, the interview showed the contemporary environmental issue and the role of the University in this debate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents data about the emergence and consolidation of the public policy creation of protected areas between 1940 and 2000 in the territory of the state of Espírito Santo. Methodologically, this is a case study. It aimed to analyze processes involving collective action strategies from the perspective of social conflicts. The paper presents considerations about the civil society participation in the transition between a personalized model -- more susceptible to individual wills (government actions) -- and another based on public debates, institutionalized (state policy). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Analyze the level of environmental disclosure in Natura Cosmetics S.A.'s sustainability reports from 2001 to 2019 in the light of the Voluntary Disclosure Theory Methodology: We use the methodology developed by Clarkson et al. (2008), for data collection and analysis. The authors develop an index to assess the level of voluntary disclosure on environmental policies, performance and inputs, which are divided into 29 hard disclosure items and 16 soft disclosure items. Results: The results show that the maximum score obtained by the company is 59 (among the 95 possible points), reached in 2013 in the report of the GRI indicators. Additionally, regarding the hard items, the variation in the level of disclosure is from 9% to 49%, while for soft items the variation is from 19% to 88%. Contributions of the Study: The practical and theoretical contribution of the research is linked to the environmental disclosure of a large national company involved with the environment, in addition to increasing the literature on national environmental dissemination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The composition and configuration of landscapes can be indicators of anthropic pressures. Therefore, this article aims to characterize the main landscapes which are protected by Brazilian Forest Code and by the Nacional System of Conservation Units, identifying what are the influences of its structure in their legal function. From the comparative analysis between the laws, it was found that from the eleven groups of protected areas, the main functions are protectionist and anthropic; the majority of them are made of little patches -- with greater influences of fragmentation -- or big patches with low restrictions of use; and connectivity among fragments is incentivized only as recommendation, not as an exigency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyzed, for the Brazilian case, the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM). The concept of negative externality and market failure was used to understand the need for environmental policies capable of favoring the sustainable development of countries. The results show the importance of scale for the registration of projects. The energy sector, for example, has more small-scale projects that were created to simplify procedures and lower costs. It was concluded, in general, that the CDM has become an international historical landmark, as it is an innovative tool in contributing to the mitigation of climate change. However, despite its importance being recognized globally, it was observed that the mechanism has weakened over time and there are uncertainties regarding the validity of the Kyoto Protocol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mining, an important economic activity in the state of Minas Gerais, generates a large amount of tailings. Currently, there are several technologies for the disposal of these tailings, but the disposal in dams remains the most used, despite the history of disruption of these structures. The environmental licensing process for mining activities requires the preparation of studies of technological alternatives for the project, in order to select the one with the best environmental feasibility. The objective was to evaluate the approach of technological alternatives for disposal of tailings from licensed mining enterprises in the state of Minas Gerais. For this, 13 projects were selected whose environmental licenses were approved between 2017 and 2019. It was verified if the Environmental Impact Studies met legal criteria and good environmental practices in the selection of alternatives. It was observed that only four projects addressed studies of technological alternatives, but none of them met all the analyzed criteria. Bias in the proposition of alternatives, lack of basis and reference of data in the choice process, prevalence of economic aspects over environmental ones and lack of justification in the selection of technology were verified in most cases. The disposal of waste by dry stacking, considered an environmentally viable technique, was selected by seven projects. However, five projects still decided to dispose in dams. In general, the studies analyzed were limited to describing the technology that one wanted to license. Only with a strategic approach would the selection process for alternatives be properly addressed, thus proposing solutions before each individual project is submitted for environmental licensing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Construction of an Ecological Civilization responds to the serious environmental crisis in China and is already beginning to cause paradigm shifts in domestic environmental policies. During the Covid-19 pandemic, the country's geopolitical ambition and importance as a normative power in global governance issues became ever more evident. Through constructivist theory, we analyze Beijing's role in institutions, national norm-setting and its potential to redefine the global environmental order. The Chinese participation in international organizations and eco-compensations are discussed to indicate possible future efforts in the definition of environmental agendas. We conclude that China already contributes normatively to the environmental area, especially in countries of the Global South. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the main weaknesses of the municipalities in relation to environmental issues is the absence of an adequate institutional structure or even the already inefficient management employed. Analyzing these variables contributes to regional development, being able to promote the improvement of the population's quality of life and make public management more efficient. Thus, the study aimed to carry out a critical analysis about the efficiency of the application of public policies in the environmental management of the municipality of Castanhal-PA., Evaluating it, observing if the existing policies are being fulfilled, also analyzing how civil society behaves in the face of possible environmental problems generated. The methodological procedures are constituted of factors that present a qualitative design, based on field research, bibliography and data collection. The results showed that there is still a long way to go within the Municipality, which has a very strong theoretical basis in relation to achieving this good management, however, they do not apply in practice, taking into account that the Master Plan does not actually meet the needs of the municipality. Finally, environmental public policies have undergone some advances in the studied municipality, but these are still enough to meet their needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Historically, the establishment of Protected Areas (UC's), part of Brazilian environmental policy, has constituted a face of the conflictive relationship between traditional peasant and indigenous communities and urban-industrial society UC's were implanted, especially from the 1950s, on territories historically occupied by traditional and original populations and became another factor in transforming the territoriality of these communities, which already suffered from the advance of the agricultural frontier and the modernizing project of the period. The struggle for territory, associated with a part of the environmental movement, led to the conquest of some rights, including access to land, through protected areas of sustainable use. However, environmental policy has been used to solve territorial issues and has therefore been a mediator of the territorialities of peasant communities. In this article we discuss how the establishment of protected areas tends to replace land policies, analyzing the contradictions that arise from the mediation of access to the traditional territory for environmental conservation, and we argue that this trend has been constituting at the same time a strategy for maintenance of the Brazilian agrarian structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a reflective and factual paper, in an emergency structure, which starts from previous investigations on the network communication of the environmental movement, and from socioenvironmental media activism, to discuss a scenario of attacks direct to the work carried out by environmental organizations. We propose a theoretical discussion with an exploratory research on the possibilities of media activism, based in the communicative practices of two social actors in this environmental field, Greenpeace Brasil and Instituto Socioambiental. We conclude that there are reactive answers to government affront; they use different media, social networks, languages and cyberactivist resources, but with superfical reach in public debate, which signals that need to articulate institutional action with social mobilization. So, in addition to understanding the transformations of activisms, we rehearsed the manifesto: what remains for socioenvironmental media activism? [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The physical and populational growth of medium-sized Brazilian cities have been characterized by their peripheral expansion, resulting in urban discontinuity and huge social, demographic, and economic disparities. Thus, this study identified free spaces in different areas of the city of Campina Grande and analyzed the sites with potential for future interventions that balance the poor distribution of free spaces for public use among the neighborhoods. It is proposed to reflect on the importance of the production of these spaces in the urban configuration starting from the problems and potentialities. From the results obtained, it was observed that important areas are without due legal protection by the urbanistic and environmental legislation. Given the current front directed to the intense production of real estate, coupled with the nonprotection of such areas may strengthen a new urban amplification that will promote several negative impacts, to the detriment of absenteeism of land and environmental policies and the relations and stimuli between public and private agents. Such factors will influence the discontinuous urban abjunction, constructive integration, the threat of environmentally fragile areas and the poor quality of life of the population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This text deals with the environmental public policies in the rural space directed to the conservation of the water resources. The main objective of the article is to highlight the projects aimed at the recovery of degraded areas in Rio de Janeiro River Basins, specifically in the Hydrographic Regions I, II and III, which serve the supply of approximately 12 million people living in the Metropolitan Region. At the level of analysis was based on the Program Producer of Water and Forests - PAF, developed by the National Water Agency - ANA, to identify potentialities and limitations, as well as propose the incorporation of new properties to the program in the rural area of Rio de Janeiro. In this sense, the research realized a continuous logic of investigation, whose data will be obtained in cabinet work, was carried out a broad literature and field review, to conduct interviews with the actors involved in the process. The initial results showed that public policies aimed at conservation and maintenance of water stocks are deficient. Partly due to the bureaucratic and legal framework in the municipal instances and partly due to the lack of consolidated state policies aimed at conserving water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A balanced environment is a right of all, and both society and public authorities must safeguard it. Considering the responsibilities of the Public Administration, this study aims to understand how environmental protection policies can also contribute to increase municipal revenue. The relevance lies in the search to demonstrate that environmental actions conducted by municipalities can improve the quality of life of its citizens and increase tax revenue via the Ecological ICMS; thus, investing in other areas such as infrastructure, public safety, health and education. The Ecological ICMS is one of the criteria for distributing the ICMS share that states must transfer to the municipalities. Regarding the methodology adopted, this is a descriptive study with a qualitative approach. In addition to consulting the literature, analyzing laws, documents, and official websites, interviews were conducted to achieve the results. This is a case study of the municipality of Niterói, RJ. The results obtained prove that environmental policies can also be financially advantageous, especially for municipalities that do not receive a large amount when considering the other ICMS distribution criteria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Strategic Environmental Assessment is a tool of environmental management that is applied to identify the environmental impacts of policies, plans or programs, as well as their alternatives. The objective of the article was to carry out a documentary research with the purpose of analyzing the historical evolution from its appearance until our days and to deepen in the different policies, plans and programs of environmental sustainability carried out throughout history, the different regulations and current legislations, as well as research and methodological guides elaborated in the world referred to this topic. We consulted around 58 bibliographical materials that address the subject (books, articles, doctoral theses, master's theses, methodologies, memories of events and laws) published in the period from 1992 to 2019. It is concluded that the EAE conceptually precedes the EIA and there is a progressive increase in the number and diversity of procedural and methodological approaches. As soon as progress is made in the application of methodologies and obligatory nature, the European continent is at the forefront, and in the case of the African continent, particularly Angola, the SEA is a novel subject that can be advanced in the development of assessment and control tools, and its application is limited by the presence of obstacles related to: 1) absences of norms and laws; 2) limitations of the capacity of the institutions and 3) difficulties related to the availability of information. It is proposed that the methodology created by the SEAN be applied in this country, due to the advantages it presents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This is a Survey research, according to Babbie (1999), developed in November 2018, by the team of Socioambiental Projetos Ltda., whose data collection was done through the use of online questionnaires, by Google Forms. The objective of the study was to draw an overview of the application of Environmental Education(EE) in the scope of environmental licensing in Minas Gerais, after the publication of the Normative Deliberation of the Environmental Policy Council of Minas Gerais - COPAM No. 214, of April 26th, 2017, from the perception of the Environmental Educators of the State of Minas Gerais. The paper presents key questions that allow to analyze critically the situation of the Environmental Education, besides allowing a deepening of the questions related to its improvement, especially in relation to the Participative Socio-Environmental Diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Faced with a scenario in which popular participation, materialized in participatory institutions, is in full expansion and constitutes a demand for environmental public policies. And considering that this type of policy affects everyone in general and not just a specific segment. This article seeks to carry out a theoretical-conceptual discussion about the true meaning of popular participation, pointing out characteristics that contribute to the strengthening and also to the weakening of the participation process, as well as to bring to the fore ways of making it more effective and attractive to the citizens. It was realized that the great challenge is not necessarily to promote popular participation, but rather to promote an effective participation of society in environmental causes. It was identified a series of aspects that can contribute to the effectiveness of the popular participation in environmental causes, but highlighting the access to the information as primordial in this process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article is about the fight of the riverside peoples for the conservation and preservation of the natural resources of their territories and it aims at analyzing the organizational, educative, and socio-environmental practices of the Amazonian riverside people as strategies of resistance and existence in the origin territory. It is an unfolding of a master degree research in Society and Culture in the Amazon, of the Federal University of Amazonas entitled “The meaning of the practices of socio-environmental sustainability of the Living Nature Environmental Group - GRANAV along with the Riverside Communities of the Municipality of Parintins, State of Amazonas”, that occurred from March 2014 to May 2016 in the lowland region of this municipality. It was orientated by a qualitative approach, based on the dialectic conception and its intense relationship with the reflections, analyses, and discussions about the data collected. In the results obtained, it is possible to point out that the organizational, educational, and socio-environmental practices have contributed with the improvement of public policies towards the environmental, social, educational, cultural, territorial, and economic conditions of the riverside peoples of the Amazon. It is important to report the ample process of sensitization by means of the popular education which extrapolated the limits of the communities involved, empowering the socio-environmental fights and the mobilization of the riverside peoples in defense of the living nature, as strategy of resistance and existence in their territory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article is about the fight of the riverside peoples for the conservation and preservation of the natural resources of their territories and it aims at analyzing the organizational, educative, and socio-environmental practices of the Amazonian riverside people as strategies of resistance and existence in the origin territory. It is an unfolding of a master degree research in Society and Culture in the Amazon, of the Federal University of Amazonas entitled "The meaning of the practices of socioenvironmental sustainability of the Living Nature Environmental Group - GRANAV along with the Riverside Communities of the Municipality of Parintins, State of Amazonas", that occurred from March 2014 to May 2016 in the lowland region of this municipality. It was orientated by a qualitative approach, based on the dialectic conception and its intense relationship with the reflections, analyses, and discussions about the data collected. In the results obtained, it is possible to point out that the organizational, educational, and socio-environmental practices have contributed with the improvement of public policies towards the environmental, social, educational, cultural, territorial, and economic conditions of the riverside peoples of the Amazon. It is important to report the ample process of sensitization by means of the popular education which extrapolated the limits of the communities involved, empowering the socio-environmental fights and the mobilization of the riverside peoples in defense of the living nature, as strategy of resistance and existence in their territory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The recent expansion of agribusiness in Tocantins state's savannah has brought several kinds of changes to this biome territory, among them environmental ones. Its consequences may affect the climate, water resources, socio-biodiversity, and people's ways of life, particularly those who live in the countryside and rely directly on nature to support themselves. Grounded on such a context, this paper offers an overview of the current scenario of municipalities in Tocantins state based on indicators concerning agriculture and cattle raising (e.g. planting/pasture areas and cattle) as well as the environment (e.g. accumulated deforestation and deficits of legal reserves and permanent protection areas). The study verified, within the limits of each municipality, the existence of traditional communities and rural settlements, groups regarded as more exposed and vulnerable to agribusiness' negative effects on the environment. This paper ultimately aims to learn more about the context surrounding this topic at state level and identify municipalities that demand priority in the production of in-depth studies and the enforcement of public policies for environmental monitoring, inspection, and conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Conservation Units National System was established, in Brazil, in 2000, and in spite of the many advances related to the creation of Protected Areas (PAs), it is still possible to verify that several PAs were not thought systemically, reducing nature protection. The present research had as objective to analyze, from the perception of different actors, the effectiveness of protection of the UCs of the state of Rio de Janeiro. To do so, an online questionnaire was prepared and sent to managers, researchers, technicians, and other actors who have connections with UCs in the state of Rio de Janeiro. The analysis of the results allowed concluding that the protection effectiveness of PAs is moderate, numerous problems such as land conflicts, lack of infrastructure, and resources are negatively affecting the effective protection of these areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The BR 101 is a very important road for the country and have suffered duplication works to decrease the number of traffic jams and accidents along its length. The stretch between km 190.3 to km 144.2 pierces a Conservation Unit (UC) and an Environmental Protection Area (APA), areas where biodiversity must be preserved, and its legal support by Law 6938/8, National Environmental Policy. Eleven environmental impacts were identified caused by this project and evaluated through a matrix of interaction. The impacts were negative and reveal a worrying situation because of permanent damage to the ecosystem adjacent, which can affect the populations of fauna and flora. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The brownfield restoration has grown in importance in Europe. On the one hand, there are areas with environmental problems, aggravated or not by economic and social problems in the adjacent communities. On the other hand, these areas appear to be an opportunity for local (re)development. This article describes the public participation process implemented during the rehmine project which, among other things, intended to contribute to the strategic planning of the redevelopment of the São Domingos Mine. Strategic spatial planning is understood as a social learning process - both concepts that are useful in the critical analysis of the methodological choices applied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The importance of environmental public policies with regard to theadministrative process of environmental warranting is well-known. Current study analyzes the legality of the Simplified Environmental Report (RAS) as an environmental study in warrants for socially-built houses. Analysis questions the mandatory aspect of such studies in the warrant processes. Research also analyzes the Term of Reference (TR) prepared by IDEMA, COPAM and COEMA, and contrasts the TRs of RN, PB and CE, respectively, taking into consideration the information quality in the document and forwarding suggestions for any improvement. Due to the fact the that information mentioned above and the aspects related to the legality of RAS as an environmental study aim at the building of socially-built houses, the TR by IDEMA attends its goal. However, the item on Biotic Medium should be complemented to lessen the possibility of problems in the elaboration of RAS. However, due to difficulties in accessing TR of COPAM and COEMA, an evaluation of items of the respective TRs was unavailable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Pilot Program was an initiative of the Brazilian government, the G7 countries and the World Bank in international cooperation to conserve the Brazilian rain forests. Compatibility between ecological, economic and social interests should be proved, revaluing the natural legacy, production potentialities and the cultural diversity of the regional population. The subprograms concentrated on supporting sustainable production, implementation of protected areas, strengthening of regional public institutions, responsible for environmental management, support of scientific research and cooperation with NGOs. In spite of structural deficiencies, the Program was one of the most successful examples in conserving tropical rain forests and in sustainable use of natural resources. The Pilot Program stood for the beginning of a new phase of responsible environmental policy for the Amazon region, with social participation, public-private partnership and qualification of people and institutions in environmental management. After the conclusion of the Program which has fallen into oblivion in the meantime, the positive results should be much more considered in future environmental programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The supermarket industry is expressive in economic, environmental and social aspects. However, to contribute to the promotion of sustainability remains as a challenge for this segment. This article aims to analyze the alignment between the environmental policy of large networks in the supermarket sector and the international priorities for sustainability. To accomplish this goal, an exploratory research was carried out, with a sample of supermarkets from Brazil and abroad (Italy, England and the United States) that present policies and practices related to sustainability as criteria for selection. Based on a comparative analysis, it is possible to observe that, despite the existence of initiatives by domestic companies, especially about waste management, foreign supermarkets present better practices regarding sustainability than those operating in Brazil. Foreign supermarkets also have a more consolidated position in considering sustainability as a criterion for the creation of environmental policies. Thus, the main contribution of this study is to demonstrate the different situations among the companies and the criteria used by the supermarkets regarding the promotion of sustainability in the environmental agenda of their business. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Unemployment Insurance Program to Artisan Fishermen, better known as "Seguro Defeso", represents one of the most important artisan fishermen's socio environmental conquests in Brazil. The objective of this article is to assess the evolution and distribution of resources in the State of Pará. The data used were gathered from available publications and sites of the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE) and General Union Controllership (CGU), Labor and Employment Ministry (MTE) for 2009-2013. The results show a significant growth in recipients and funds since 2009. In the Northern and Northeastern region, the States that have benefitted most are Pará, followed by Maranhão, Bahia, Amazonas and Piauí. In the state of Pará, there is a concentration in benefit granting because 15 municipalities received 61,49% of the funds during the period under analysis. The program is fundamental to assure the fishermen's survival during the reproduction period, as well as the sustainability of fish supply. However, it is necessary to have a more effective monitoring, in order to prevent frauds during subsidy granting, thus assuring that it fulfills its role as an instrument of socio environmental policy for fishing and aquaculture in the State of Pará. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

El trabajo tiene como objetivo estudiar los impactos en el presupuesto público de los municipios del Valle de Itajaí alcanzados por catástrofes naturales en el período 2007 a 2010. Se trata de una pesquisa descriptiva, con abordaje cuali-cuantitativo, realizada por medio de pesquisa bibliográfica y documental. Los catorce municipios estudiados fueron definidos con base en la relación de decretos de estado de calamidad pública del site de la Defensa Civil del Estado de Santa Catarina. Los créditos extraordinarios fueron obtenidos en el portal del ciudadano, en la página electrónica del Tribunal de Cuentas del Estado de Santa Catarina, e informaciones complementares fueron obtenidas por entrevistas semi-estructuradas con los municipios. Los resultados muestran que el mayor impacto presupuestario ocurrió en el ejercicio 2009, cuando un municipio realizó la apertura de crédito extraordinario correspondiente al 63,30% de su presupuesto y otro realizó la apertura correspondiente al 29,08% del gasto fijado. Otro punto verificado en la pesquisa es que, independientemente de haberse decretado estado de calamidad pública, cinco municipios no abrieron créditos extraordinarios en el período analizado. Se resalta la importancia de que los gestores públicos se preocupen con estos impactos en el presupuesto decurrentes de gastos imprevistos, no solamente con la recuperación, sino también con las acciones que busquen la prevención de estas catástrofes naturales. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The parliament and the government may pass many environmental laws, but if those laws are not effectively implemented by Public Administration, they will not bring about the desired changes, i. e. there is an implementation gap. This paper presents a case study on the implementation of the statute that regulates water quality for human consumption in Portugal. We find that when the implementation is successful, the main factors are the clarity and visibility of the procedures used vis-à-vis those affected, and when it fails, the main obstacle is the insufficient connection between the regulation of water quality for human consumption and the environmental protection of the water source. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental policies, when practiced, make - is critical to balance the relationship between man and the natural environment. Since the maintenance of life on planet earth depends on certain conditions which, in turn, altered tend not to recover within a short time. Upon such concerns companies have taken some decisions in the political sphere in order to address environmental issues as a focus of discourse. Highlighting the conference of Estolcomo (Sweden) in 1972, as the first UN conference whose focus was the Environment. Thus, this paper aims to present the challenge of environmental issues in the municipality of Buritizeiro / MG. So, presents a historical framework of the Municipal Environmental Defense - CODEMA and presents forms of emancipation of environmental policies for the municipality mentioned. The methodology used - whether literature review, document retrieval in City Hall Buritizeiro / MG, especially in the analysis of the Laws 1.103/2006 and 1.104/2006 which present the legal basis for the institution of CODEMA and environmental policies at the municipal level. Used - if participant observation in board meetings above and photographic record of results of positive result of the implementation of environmental policies in the municipality. Satisfactory results from the existence of the Council are exposed in activities such as ban on cutting specimens Monkfish (Enterolobium contortisiliquum), located along Avenida Manoel Joaquim de Melo by Normative Resolution 005/2009; planting species White Ipe (Tabebuia rosea-alba) in urban areas and monitoring of building Barraginhas at the head of streams: Stream Canoes and Stones. Suggests - is therefore the creation of Department of Environment in Buritizeiro so that municipal environmental policies can be structured in a consistent manner, allowing the performance of his players in possession of a legal foundation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Researches about environmental perception are important for investigations of knowledge, values, beliefs, attitudes and expectations that people have about their place of residence, since every human being perceives, reacts and responds differently to the environment in which they live. In this sense, the present study aimed to analyze the environmental perception of the different social actors about the Abreu's Lake in Formosa-GO. For this, we conducted semi-structured interviews with both locals and regulars to the place, and photographic records and observations held in place. The main problems identified by respondents were carelessness and neglect of the landscape, with the infrastructure, security, the environment and cleaning. These problems were constantly allocated to the Government as the main generator. In this perspective, it is expected that the government and residents commit to take care this important place of the municipality of Formosa-GO. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research intended to know how is made the process of environmental education in a school's context, supported by *Instituto Terra*, located in the city of Aimorés, state of Minas Gerais, analyzing the possibilities of this pedagogical practice. Environmental education is a transversal theme that must be present in all subjects of High School and Elementary School, due to the situation that our environment is, mainly in the present days, beginning of XXI century. This subject became important because it provides the teachers support to work with the students about how to deal with environmental issues in a more participative, critical and conscious way, with the intention to slow down the destruction of our natural resources and protect more the nature, including the human being itself, and its quality of life. As a result of a research, this study propose to present the work developed by *Instituto Terra* with state schools in the city of Aimorés, as a successful case regarding environmental education, demonstrating that is possible to change a local natural reality with strong and present environmental teaching in school's context, in which the student is more dynamic, critic and participative in his behavior towards the environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paperbringsthe themes of theimpact caused by developmentof the oil activitythat providesso manyriches andconflicts. The approach is madeupon theimpacts ofoil extraction andutilization of gasfrom wellsin theremovedthermal powerplantco-generation Vale doAçu,Jesus SoaresPereira. It is based on a literature search and field survey data. It coversthe main pointsof history, the composition of the oil, mining, production, geopolitical and the development of the oil activityin the territoryof Rio Grande do Norte, with the characterization of the municipality ofAlto do Rodrigues, made by thereport of the MRCP(2005), abrief reporton natural gasand presentation of data thatwere collected duringthe planttechnical visit, wherenotedthe importance of activity for the state and concern about environmental issues and no toxic fumes or gases company, which is still responsible for the production of water vapor that is injected in some wells -demonstrating the interaction between the mining activity and the generation of energy and wealth for the territory of RioGrande do Norte. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The business sector is promoting a change in its management model, since the early 90s, when it took a positive attitude toward the environment. Thus, environmental issues have become part of the strategic planning of organizations due to stricter regulations and to society's demands for greater environmental responsibility. Therefore, this study aims to identify and analyze environmental practices adopted by companies of this sector in Goiás and to seek answers to questions related to the factors that can contribute to the creation of competitive advantages within these organizations. Organizations involved in that study are labeled A, B, C and D. This research has used the fundamentals of qualitative and exploratory approach and it can be characterized as a field research. In the growing and processing of sugar cane, certainly negative impacts to the environment are still present. However, adoption of actions mentioned here, as the search for the conservation of soil and vegetation, replacing the burned by harvesters, the rational use of chemicals, the recycling of waste in the production process (such as power generation through bagasse sugarcane), among others, point out benefits to business sector and the environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article seeks to analyze how the company X Advocacy and Legal Consultancy can implant sustainable and quality practices to obtain the environmental certification ISO 14001. To achieve the objective, a qualitative and quantitative approach study was conducted. Regarding procedures, it consisted in a case study with a descriptive focus. From observation of the reality of X Advocacy and Legal Consultancy and its claims in relation to obtaining ISO 14001 certification, it is possible to propose as solution the implementation of a number of initiatives and sustainability actions in three pillars - social, environmental and economic. Suggestions were also developed about the dimensions of quality in order to formulate the basis for X Advocacy and Legal Consultancy environmental policy and possible implementation of ISO 14,001. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Preservation of the environment is one of the main social concerns of the XXI century. This includes finding alternatives that can provide future generations with an environment that permits the continuity of human life. The present qualitative study involved discussions about collective awareness of issues including environmental sustainability and the need to develop new ways to create targeted policies. Adolescents participating in the "Saber Cuidar" project were encouraged to understand the meaning and importance of environmental education, and the creation of a system of peer group environmental education was encouraged. This study was undertaken in a State school, southeast of the city of São Paulo, with the participation of twelve students aged between 11 and 12 years. Data were collected using interviews and participant observation. Four themes emerged from the analysis: ecological awareness, social transformation, difficulties with the implementation of the proposal, and achievement of the proposed environmental education. The main results showed the importance of environmental awareness during the educational process, and of encouraging the perception of students concerning the environment in which they live. The work revealed a need to build new types of interaction able to raise perception of educational and social problems, which might then favor constructive action to stimulate necessary social mobilization. The students who participated in this study were encouraged to pass their acquired knowledge to their peers, and to teach others about environmental issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental education with its interdisciplinary aspect has very significant potential to contribute to the conservation of natural areas and thereby ensure the accessibility of population to areas subject to experiential awareness towards the need to conserve biodiversity. Thus, the objective of this study was to identify significant points in experiential environmental issues facing the problems that people are constantly exposed. Most likely to succeed in the responses to the challenges of working environmental education focused on the exercise of citizenship, online surveys were developed using targeted keywords to search for information about environmental education associating them with information targeted for recovery biodiversity present in the spheres of education for practice in Natal / RN. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two main drivers shape the global governance of climate change: "climate power" and climate commitment. Climate power refers to the level of influence of certain agents over the climate social outcome at the systemic level. Climate commitment recalls the fact that the logic of global climate governance is also defined by the interaction of reformist and conservative forces, with the former willing to take post-sovereigntist measures to tackle the crisis, and the latter resisting any major changes in the way business is conducted. This article analyses the role of Brazil in global climate governance, considering both climate power and climate commitment. It argues that the country transitioned from a conservative great climate power to a moderate conservative position over the last decade, based on three pillars: reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, the adoption of domestic climate policies, and a shift in its international standing on the issue. However, since 2011 the process has stalled and partially reversed. The aim of this article is to address that transformation and explore its perspectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the context of global governance, we analyze the topic of policy transfer in which the formulation of public policies is influenced by experiences of different political contexts. Thus, we question how the Cartagena Protocol influenced the formulation of the Brazilian National Biosafety Policy (PNB). The empirical research was accomplished through semi-structured interviews with qualified respondents who worked directly or indirectly in the PNB's formulation process. In order to analyze the data we adopted a qualitative approach, through the use of content analysis. The results reveal that there was a policy transfer in the form of lesson drawing from the Cartagena Protocol to the PNB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the problem of water in the wood, from the origin of the settlement to the present day, with special attention to the exploitation and protection of this natural resource. In Madeira, water exists in abundance, thanks to the weather phenomena that occur on the island, also due to relief and the nature of the rocks are predominantly basaltic (waterproof) and also due to the investments that the Regional Government has made, particularly in terms of the exploration, through the construction of boreholes and galleries to extract groundwater as a way to meet the needs of the whole population and the tourists who visit us. Nevertheless, it is essential to continue with a balanced and systematic management of water, so that in future this fluid continues in our lives. Fortunately in Madeira, the company--owned IG--Investimentos and Water Management, SA has done an excellent job in terms of exploration, treatment and supplies to the people of Madeira and Porto Santo, as well as sustainable management of this resource. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the area of environmental management, the environmental consulting and advisory services stand out as promising segments. The demand for this line of work has grown due to the Brazilian Environmental Legislation to have one of the most elaborate in the world and the rigorous control by environmental agencies, for companies to comply with the requirements of the law. The studies found that it is still a small number of companies looking for consulting or advisory services in the municipal studied. There was greater planning in relation to environmental issues, and many organizations consider the issues in their budgets and the service sector is one that seeks to identify further opportunities to reduce costs facing the environment. Still, as the performance of the environmental manager noted that there is a resistance to the incorporation of actions which minimize the impacts of its projects on the environment and the lack of information on environmental management systems and the performance of professionals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study, holding as background the conflicts that involve the environment, analyzes the fraternity principle, from the perspective of the theory proposed by Baggio, concluding that the official pattern of environmental litigations composition that exist in Brazil --solidified by the obsolete monopoly of Judiciary-- consolidated on a Law's positivism and on a competitive point of view of the society, does not contemplates the fraternity as a legal value. In other hands, the paper starts to focus the mediation, making clear that this alternative way of contest's solution not only disposes with justness to the environmental conflicted issue but --remarkably by its communicative characteristic acting and shared true-- deeply excited by the fraternity idea. The subject has been researched in the specialized literature, making sure about the precarious systematization of the mediation as management way of environmental conflicts, as well as a lack on the approach of the fraternity as juridical category of potential incidence at the environmental field. In the end, the analysis concludes that the eco mediation may appease the insertion of the fraternity component on arguing related to environmental estates, generally ruled by the radicalization and a vision of world's representationalism, contributing perhaps to the co-operation construction of a new paradigmatical systemic epistemology for conflicts solutions, that insures the emphasized roll to fraternal as imperative of conduct. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We describe some forms of operation of the political power of the Colombian State and their impacts on the territory. The analysis uses some results of a doctoral research that sought to understand the institutional and regulatory foundations and the water management practices in two metropolitan areas of South America, Cali in Colombia, and Campinas in Brazil. The theoretical framework, primarily based on critical thought, starts by making an approach to the concept of power and then links it with the concepts of territory and governance. We present empirical evidence on how the political power of the Colombian State operates on the environmental institutional structure. We concluded that the authoritarian interference of the executive power has generated crisis on the institutional framework and facilitated the advancement of the neo-liberal capitalist model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]