Environmental licensing is a political tool to protect the environment and encourage sustainable development. Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) are the important document for impact assessment of activities during environmental licensing, and all decision-making process and effectiveness depend on its quality. Road construction, paving and widening require the approval of an EIA, since these activities are responsible for a large number of environmental impacts. Here we present an analysis of 16 EIAs of Brazilian roads, considering the impacts on terrestrial and aquatic fauna. We discuss if theimpacts recognized in road ecology literature are identified and assessed in these studies, if mitigation actions are based on information presented on the EIA, and the quality of road mortality assessment. We based the analysis on a checklist of road impacts and on scores calculated based on a set of criteria. We calculated relative scores for each EIA and for each type of impact across all studies. EIA quality was low (more than half EIAs had relative equal score or less than 50%); the studies analyzed poorly addressed the impacts recognized in the academic literature. The presence of impacts was not coherent along different sections of the EIA (baseline studies, impact matrix and proposition of mitigation measures). In 27.63% of cases the impacts were not present in any section of the EIA. In some situations, the impact was present in the baseline studies, but not in impact matrix or mitigation propositions, and in half of the situations analyzed the relative scoreof EIAs was lower than 30% for the quality of road mortality impact assessment. We recommend the improvement of the terms of reference should be a priority to enforce the elaboration of enhanced quality studies. A Portuguese version of this manuscript is available on request.
Environmental licensing is a political tool to protect the environment and encourage sustainable development. Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) are the important document for impact assessment of activities during environmental licensing, and all decision-making process and effectiveness depend on its quality. Road construction, paving and widening require the approval of an EIA, since these activities are responsible for a large number of environmental impacts. Here we present an analysis of 16 EIAs of Brazilian roads, considering the impacts on terrestrial and aquatic fauna. We discuss if theimpacts recognized in road ecology literature are identified and assessed in these studies, if mitigation actions are based on information presented on the EIA, and the quality of road mortality assessment. We based the analysis on a checklist of road impacts and on scores calculated based on a set of criteria. We calculated relative scores for each EIA and for each type of impact across all studies. EIA quality was low (more than half EIAs had relative equal score or less than 50%); the studies analyzed poorly addressed the impacts recognized in the academic literature. The presence of impacts was not coherent along different sections of the EIA (baseline studies, impact matrix and proposition of mitigation measures). In 27.63% of cases the impacts were not present in any section of the EIA. In some situations, the impact was present in the baseline studies, but not in impact matrix or mitigation propositions, and in half of the situations analyzed the relative scoreof EIAs was lower than 30% for the quality of road mortality impact assessment. We recommend the improvement of the terms of reference should be a priority to enforce the elaboration of enhanced quality studies. A Portuguese version of this manuscript is available on request.
Abstract Controversies about Environmental Licensing have been featured in the public agenda as the National Congress advances a policy reform being debated since 2004. In the National Council for the Environment, given its legal attributions, the Environmental Licensing rules and possible changes have been discussed since the first meetings. Through the analysis of Council meeting documents, the objective was to highlight such speeches and the players who pronounced them. For this purpose, memoirs and minutes of meetings of instances of the Council in the period 1984-2021 were examined. Essentially, discourses were found about the screening stage and environmental impact studies, with the absence of criticisms and proposals regarding the definition of the scope of the studies and the follow-up stage. There was a prevalence of discourses centered on administrative efficiency, without acknowledging the objectives of this environmental policy instrument, or challenges to increase its effectiveness.
Abstract The environmental licensing has generated uncertainties about its effectiveness; making it necessary to encourage mechanisms to improve the political-institutional setting. Thus, this study aimed at evaluating the legal and technical concordances of the environmental licensing processes of mining enterprises in the south of the state of Minas Gerais. Using checklists, thirteen licensing processes were analyzed, where the pre- and post-approval stages were assessed. It was observed that the environmental studies didn't correspond to the terms of reference and the expected quality, as well as the noncompliance of the proponents regarding the approval of the environmental management reports. Therefore, it was concluded that there is a lack of technical performance of the analysts of the competent environmental agency and, therefore, it is necessary to improve the technical evaluation system of environmental studies as a tool to improve EIA processes.
Abstract Environmental licensing and environmental impact assessment have been increasingly implemented by Brazilian municipalities, which have been historically plagued by problems of institutional capacity. The aim of this article was to critically synthetize the regulations and scientific empirical studies about the decentralized implementation of such tools in Brazilian municipalities, as well as to explore the perception of specialists about this phenomenon. This study adopted a predominantly qualitative and sequential approach, informed by data collected through content analysis of state regulations and a focus group. Overall, findings show that part of the objectives of the 25 reviewed regulations is not clearly reflected in practice. The 53 identified publications corroborate the existence of problems of institutional capacity in municipalities. The focus group revealed that decentralization, despite the challenges, could be a driver of institutional capacity at local administrations. The article highlights the need for capacity-building and institutional innovation, and suggests future avenues of research.
Geotechnologies are a set of technologies geared towards collection, processing, analysis and availability of information with geographic reference. Therefore, the objective of this research is to demonstrate through the spatial analysis the environmental characteristics of an enterprise located in the municipality of Currais – PI, object of the environmental licensing procedure of the state competent body, using the tools of geotechnologies. The methodology consisted in using the Geographic Information System Quantum GIS (QGIS) for the creation and processing of the geographic database. Through the generation of thematic maps, it was possible to conclude that the uses of geotechnologies aid in the control and environmental monitoring, in which, it facilitates the visualization and characterization of several environmental features in the environmental licensing procedure. It was also possible to identify the areas that deserve greater attention from the environmental agency due to some damage to the environment, as well as, it assists in environmental inspection and current legislation. ; As geotecnologias são um conjunto de tecnologias voltadas para coleta, processamento, análise e disponibilização da informação com referência geográfica. Diante disso, o objetivo dessa pesquisa é demonstrar por meio das análises espaciais as características ambientais de um empreendimento localizado no município de Currais – PI, objeto do procedimento de licenciamento ambiental do órgão competente estadual, utilizando as ferramentas das geotecnologias. A metodologia consistiu na utilização do Sistema de Informações Geográficas Quantum GIS (QGIS) para a criação e tratamento do banco de dados geográfico. Por meio da geração de mapas temáticos, foi possível concluir que as utilizações das geotecnologias auxiliam no controle e monitoramento ambiental, no qual facilita a visualização e caracterização de diversas feições ambientais no procedimento de licenciamento ambiental. Também foi possível identificar as áreas que merecem uma maior atenção do órgão ambiental em virtude de algum dano ao meio ambiente, bem como auxilia na fiscalização ambiental e legislação vigente.
Abstract Environmental licensing and environmental impact assessment have been increasingly implemented by Brazilian municipalities, which have been historically plagued by problems of institutional capacity. The aim of this article was to critically synthetize the regulations and scientific empirical studies about the decentralized implementation of such tools in Brazilian municipalities, as well as to explore the perception of specialists about this phenomenon. This study adopted a predominantly qualitative and sequential approach, informed by data collected through content analysis of state regulations and a focus group. Overall, findings show that part of the objectives of the 25 reviewed regulations is not clearly reflected in practice. The 53 identified publications corroborate the existence of problems of institutional capacity in municipalities. The focus group revealed that decentralization, despite the challenges, could be a driver of institutional capacity at local administrations. The article highlights the need for capacity-building and institutional innovation, and suggests future avenues of research.
Abstract The purpose of this article is to present the historical trajectory of the hydroelectric plant of Belo Monte on the Xingu River. The plant, the third largest in the world and one of the most important works of the "Growth Acceleration Program" in Brazil, in the broader context, calls into question a developmental model and its implications for the energy planning in the Amazon region. The energy use of the Xingu River basin was also proposed during the military dictatorship in Brazil and, even after forty years is still emblematic for continuing to be full of controversies along its course. The initial premise of the research establishes that the lack of social and environmental impacts of the project followed the entire trajectory of Belo Monte and this case study brings important lessons for improvement of this instrument of Brazilian environmental policy.
The objective of this study was to explore the experience of the municipalities of the state of Minas Gerais that implemented local environmental licensing. For this purpose, representatives of the state administration were interviewed, and an electronic questionnaire was sent to analysts of 121 municipalities that took up environmental licensing, from which 39 responses were obtained. The key drivers of local environmental licensing were concerns over licensing procedural delays by the state government and the need for administrative efficiency. Knowledge of local conditions and the proximity between the local government, communities and developers were identified as facilitators of licensing. Shortage of staff, precarious hiring processes, and lack of infrastructure were identified as the main barriers to local environmental licensing. The municipalities that have implemented local environmental licensing perceive planning, administrative capacity, competent technical and legal teams, and capacity-building as essential elements of an effective local environmental licensing system. The study concludes with suggestions of future research avenues. ; The objective of this study was to explore the experience of the municipalities of the state of Minas Gerais that implemented local environmental licensing. For this purpose, representatives of the state administration were interviewed, and an electronic questionnaire was sent to analysts of 121 municipalities that took up environmental licensing, from which 39 responses were obtained. The key drivers of local environmental licensing were concerns over licensing procedural delays by the state government and the need for administrative efficiency. Knowledge of local conditions and the proximity between the local government, communities and developers were identified as facilitators of licensing. Shortage of staff, precarious hiring processes, and lack of infrastructure were identified as the main barriers to local environmental licensing. The municipalities that have implemented local environmental licensing perceive planning, administrative capacity, competent technical and legal teams, and capacity-building as essential elements of an effective local environmental licensing system. The study concludes with suggestions of future research avenues. ; The objective of this study was to explore the experience of the municipalities of the state of Minas Gerais that implemented local environmental licensing. For this purpose, representatives of the state administration were interviewed, and an electronic questionnaire was sent to analysts of 121 municipalities that took up environmental licensing, from which 39 responses were obtained. The key drivers of local environmental licensing were concerns over licensing procedural delays by the state government and the need for administrative efficiency. Knowledge of local conditions and the proximity between the local government, communities and developers were identified as facilitators of licensing. Shortage of staff, precarious hiring processes, and lack of infrastructure were identified as the main barriers to local environmental licensing. The municipalities that have implemented local environmental licensing perceive planning, administrative capacity, competent technical and legal teams, and capacity-building as essential elements of an effective local environmental licensing system. The study concludes with suggestions of future research avenues. ; The objective of this study was to explore the experience of the municipalities of the state of Minas Gerais that implemented local environmental licensing. For this purpose, representatives of the state administration were interviewed, and an electronic questionnaire was sent to analysts of 121 municipalities that took up environmental licensing, from which 39 responses were obtained. The key drivers of local environmental licensing were concerns over licensing procedural delays by the state government and the need for administrative efficiency. Knowledge of local conditions and the proximity between the local government, communities and developers were identified as facilitators of licensing. Shortage of staff, precarious hiring processes, and lack of infrastructure were identified as the main barriers to local environmental licensing. The municipalities that have implemented local environmental licensing perceive planning, administrative capacity, competent technical and legal teams, and capacity-building as essential elements of an effective local environmental licensing system. The study concludes with suggestions of future research avenues.
Abstract Scholarly papers on Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) in Brazil were reviewed aiming at surveying the state of research in this field. Searches in three databases identified 131 papers published between 1985 and 2015. They were classified under: case analysis (45%); analysis of the EIA system (32%), discussion about methods (15%) and evaluation of quality of EIA documents (8%). It was found that those papers: (i) deal with highly complex cases; (ii) identify several weaknesses in the EIA system, but also some achievements and improvements; (iii) address a number of weaknesses identified in other studies; and (iv) show recurrent deficiencies, as well as temporal evolution in the quality of EIA documents. Some topics often pointed as weaknesses in the national debate and the international literature were not addressed in this set of papers. This research field is at an early development stage in Brazil, but features a growing number of publications.
