Política ambiental del gobierno de Lula: el caso de la Amazonía (Tema Central)

El tema del calentamiento global y sus consecuencias pone en el orden del día la discusión sobre la protección y el control de la región amazónica al mismo tiempo que cuestiona la posibilidad del desarrollo sostenible bajo el capitalismo. En Brasil, Lula defiende la Amazonía en palabras, pero en los hechos impulsa una política económica que tiene como prioridad la entrega de los recursos naturales al capital nacional e internacional. ¿A quién interesa la conservación de la Amazonía brasileña?

‘Inherited commitments’: do changes in ownership affect corporate social responsibility (CSR) at African gold mines?

This paper critically examines the issue of ‘inherited corporate social responsibility’ in the gold mining industry, focusing specifically on the case of sub-Saharan Africa, a region plagued with excessive corruption, rampant poverty and weak governance. Whilst there appears to be little incentive to proactively engage with communities and implement cutting-edge environmental policies in the region, mine managers argue otherwise, highlighting a number of reasons for embracing corporate social responsibility (CSR). After briefly reviewing the philosophical underpinnings of CSR, the paper provides an in-depth analysis of these arguments, in the process, underscoring how tenuous the case for CSR in the extractive industries, and gold mining more specifically, is in the context of sub-Saharan Africa. Following a change in ownership, new management faces few pressures to embrace CSR in its entirety and therefore, more often than not, finds itself in a position to implement programs and policies of its choice. More research is needed that further popularizes the issue of ‘inherited CSR’ in the gold mining sector and extractive industries more generally.

Relief for the environment? The importance of an increasingly unimportant industrial sector

Deindustrialization, stagnant real incomes of production workers, and increasing inequality are latter day features of many economies. It is common to assume that such developments pressure policymakers to relax environmental standards. However, when heavily polluting industries become less important economically, their political importance also tends to diminish. Consequently, a regulator may increase the stringency of environmental policies. Like some other studies, we find that declining industrial employment translates into stricter environmental standards. In contrast to previous studies, but consistent with our argument, we find that greater income inequality is associated with policies that promote a cleaner environment. (JEL Q58, P16, J31, C23)

Evaluating the sustainable intensification of arable farms

Sustainable Intensification (SI) of agriculture has recently received widespread political attention, in both the UK and internationally. The concept recognises the need to simultaneously raise yields, increase input use efficiency and reduce the negative environmental impacts of farming systems to secure future food production and to sustainably use the limited resources for agriculture. The objective of this paper is to outline a policy-making tool to assess SI at a farm level. Based on the method introduced by Kuosmanen and Kortelainen (2005), we use an adapted Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) to consider the substitution possibilities between economic value and environmental pressures generated by farming systems in an aggregated index of Eco-Efficiency. Farm level data, specifically General Cropping Farms (GCFs) from the East Anglian River Basin Catchment (EARBC), UK were used as the basis for this analysis. The assignment of weights to environmental pressures through linear programming techniques, when optimising the relative Eco-Efficiency score, allows the identification of appropriate production technologies and practices (integrating pest management, conservation farming, precision agriculture, etc.) for each farm and therefore indicates specific improvements that can be undertaken towards SI. Results are used to suggest strategies for the integration of farming practices and environmental policies in the framework of SI of agriculture. Paths for improving the index of Eco-Efficiency and therefore reducing environmental pressures are also outlined.

Using multi-criteria decision analysis in natural resource management

The proposed volume aims to provide useful insights on the use of Multi-criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) in natural resource management by examining a number of empirical applications for several countries and natural resources. There is increasing interest among researchers and policy makers in using MCDA to evaluate complex management issues and problems. While several books with empirical applications have been published, these applications are very recent. Evidence from major studies suggests that MCDA approaches to the management of water, forestry, wetland and other natural resources have substantially improved the design and implementation of natural resource and environmental policies. Using innovative approaches, such as MCDA, to manage complex natural systems will enhance our understanding and management of those systems. Stakeholder involvement is an important determinant of successful resource management, and MCDA provides a useful and effective framework for getting stakeholders involved in resource management decisions. Despite the general acceptance of the role of MCDA in natural resource management, problems remain in applying these techniques. Problems include difficulties in applying the techniques, eliciting required information, lack of suitable measures for environmental variables, and development of innovative methods to simplify the use of MCDA. The proposed book examines several applications of MCDA for several countries (Australia, USA and Europe) and natural resources, including forestry, water resources and vegetation.

Using choice modelling to investigate equity preferences

Benefit cost analysis (BCA) is a widely used method of assessing environmental policies. One of the limitations of BCA is the incorporation of equity considerations into an analysis. While this is theoretically possible through the application of distributional weights, this practice has not been generally adopted due to difficulties in determining appropriate weights. This paper suggests that one way of addressing the equity issue is through the application of a staged preference technique to the estimation of equity preferences. It is demonstrated that using choice modelling enables respondents' equity preferences to be elicited and distributional weights suitable for application in BCA to be estimated.

Integrated supply chain construction ecosystem management

Agenda 21 may be considered the most significant programme of action influencing environmental policy for the Australian development and construction industry. The industry has remained one of the most rapidly expanding sectors; yet, we have seen the gradual process of exhausting natural resources and irreversible environmental degradation. Even with the introduction of numerous new environmental policies, it remains questionable as to whether real improvements have occurred across the industry. Legislative mechanisms to direct on-site environmental management appear deficient; information flows between participants along the supply chain appear to impact upon environmental management performance; and industry fragmentation remains compounded by ill-defined external, non-contractual supply chain influences that directly impact on contractual systems. Limited research has considered construction supply chain theory and environmental management particularly in reference to policy. The literature highlighted a need to develop a supply chain model which seeks to integrate chain actors and government regulators through holistic information management. The model assumes that fundamental to industry change is statutory control to mandate construction environmental management plans. However, industry change and subsequent environmental management rely upon effective information dissemination. The next stage involves model refinement, investigating barriers and enablers to widespread diffusion of such an innovative integrated environmental management system.

Australian farmers' and food processors' values

Purpose – The aim of this exploratory study was to examine and compare a range of business values held by farmers and food processors.

Design/methodology/approach – Questionnaires with a section on business values were posted to 200 farmers and 200 food processing businesses in Victoria, Australia, with response rates of 44 per cent (n=69) and 31 per cent (n=48), respectively, achieved.

Findings – The most important of the 28 value items for farmers were high quality produce, honesty, and caring for employees. For processors, the most important values were quality products, customer value, and caring for employees. Between group differences reached statistical significance for one-third of the items. In particular, processor businesses valued innovation and convenience products more highly and had a stronger process orientation than did farming businesses. Environmental sustainability, caring for the community, and providing healthy products were more integral to farming than processing businesses.

Research limitations/implications – The main limitation was the small sample sizes, although it is likely that response bias was not high. Future research could survey a larger sample of food industry representatives and examine the values held by other food industry sectors.

Practical implications – This information could increase the effectiveness of communications with industry groups on a range of issues and in the formulation of appropriate health and environmental policies.

Originality/value – To the authors' knowledge, this is the first study to compare the values of farmers and food processors. This information is particularly important for those in the food industry and health and environmental policy makers.

Happiness versus the environment - a case study of Australian lifestyles

Crafting environmental policies that at the same time enhance, or at least not reduce people's wellbeing, is crucial for the success of government action aimed at mitigating environmental impact. However, there does not yet exist any survey that refers to one and the same population, and that allows the identifying relationships and trade-offs between subjective wellbeing and the complete environmental impact of households. In order to circumvent the lack of comprehensive survey information, we attempt to integrate two separate survey databases, and describe the challenges associated with this integration. Our results indicate that carbon footprints are likely to increase, but wellbeing levels off with increasing income. Living together with people is likely to create a win-win situation where both climate and wellbeing benefit. Car ownership obviously creates emissions, however personal car ownership enhances subjective wellbeing, but living in an area with high car ownership decreases subjective wellbeing. Finally, gaining educational qualifications is linked with increased emissions. These results indicate that policy-making is challenged in striking a wise balance between individual convenience and the common good.

Agriculture, trade openness and emissions: an empirical analysis and policy options

This article investigates the impact of sectoral production allocation, energy usage patterns and trade openness on pollutant emissions in a panel consisting of high-, medium- and low-income countries. Extended STIRPAT (Stochastic Impact by Regression on Population, Affluence and Technology) and EKC (Environmental Kuznets Curve) models are conducted to systematically identify these factors driving CO2 emissions in these countries during the period 1980–2010. To this end, the studyemploys three different heterogeneous, dynamic mean group-type linear panel modelsand one nonlinear panel data estimation procedure that allows for cross-sectionaldependence. While affluence, nonrenewable energy consumption and energy intensity variables are found to drive pollutant emissions in linear models, population is also found to be a significant driver in the nonlinear model. Both service sector and agricultural value-added levels play a significant role in reducing pollution levels, whereas industrialisation increases pollution levels. Although the linear model fails totrack any significant impact of trade openness, the nonlinear model finds trade liberalisation to significantly affect emission reduction levels. All of these results suggest that economic development, and especially industrialisation strategies and environmental policies, need to be coordinated to play a greater role in emission reduction due to trade liberalisation.

Mudanças climáticas: um caminho para a avaliação da política pública brasileira para o setor

Diante da relevância da questão das mudanças climáticas para o mundo, esta dissertação tem por objetivo a avaliação da atual política pública brasileira para o tema. Partindo da análise da atual política ambiental brasileira, examina os programas e ações do país voltados para as mudanças climáticas, pesquisa o desenvolvimento dos projetos de Mecanismo de Desenvolvimento Limpo no Brasil, e avalia a sua atual política pública de mudanças climáticas. Essa avaliação, embora a complexidade do tema, utiliza metodologia caracterizada ao mesmo tempo por sua riqueza e simplicidade, qual seja, a metodologia de avaliação de políticas públicas desenvolvida por Oliveira e Martins (2003). Construída com base nas três principais dimensões a serem consideradas quando da avaliação de políticas públicas: dimensões social, econômica e política, a metodologia de Oliveira e Martins (2003) nesta pesquisa é adaptada para receber, em cada dimensão, atributos (variáveis), e seus respectivos indicadores, relacionados com a questão das mudanças climáticas no Brasil. Selecionados os atributos são inseridos ponderadores com base em pesquisa de campo, em que os entrevistados têm a liberdade de expor as suas preferências. Extendendo-se até o nível de avaliação intermediário da metodologia de avaliação de Oliveira e Martins (2003), esta pesquisa revela como é possível avaliar a política pública brasileira de mudanças climáticas, e quiçá servirá de motivação ao contínuo desenvolvimento do modelo aqui proposto, a fim de servir como mais um instrumento de participação direta da sociedade na definição do rumo que o Brasil deve seguir nas questões climáticas, e que inclusive outras regiões do mundo poderão vir a adotar, dada a flexibilidade de contextualização da referida metodologia de avaliação.

Comunidades tradicionais em áreas protegidas: convergências e lacunas da Política Urbana e Ambiental na Reserva de Desenvolvimento Sustentável Estadual Ponta do Tubarão/RN

This work presents a reflection on possibilities and boundaries of consolidation and expansion of human settlements characterized as traditional communities that are located within protected areas, using as study reference the State Sustainable Development Reserve Ponta do Tubarão, at Rio Grande do Norte state. The main topics highlight the conflict between the right to housing and the prevalence of fundamental rights of traditional populations, opposed to the diffuse right to environment, according to the regulatory framework of the Brazilian Urban and Environmental Policies. At the same time that these settlements, historically built, are substantiated by the principles of recognition of rights to traditional populations, they are in a condition of complexity to the resolution of conflicts in its urban dimension and lead to an impairment of natural sites. This work questions how the instruments of land use and occupation are defined and relate to environmental planning, especially considering that the settlements are located in Permanent Preservation Areas (APP). It aims to further the discussion of the urban dimension in settlements, characterizing its formation and growth process, to identify the gaps and convergences between the Urban and Environmental Policy, under the foundations of a socio-environmental approach. The results spotlights the conflicts between occupation and natural areas, inferring that the definition of Urban Policies instruments and its integration with Environmental Policies instruments account for essential and priority actions to the achievement to the rights to a sustainable city, as determined in the Cities Statute and environmental protection goals, defined for the Conservation Units

Proposta de algoritmo para detecção de vazamentos em oleodutos utilizando análise freqüencial de sinais de pressão

Pipeline leak detection is a matter of great interest for companies who transport petroleum and its derivatives, in face of rising exigencies of environmental policies in industrialized and industrializing countries. However, existing technologies are not yet fully consolidated and many studies have been accomplished in order to achieve better levels of sensitivity and reliability for pipeline leak detection in a wide range of flowing conditions. In this sense, this study presents the results obtained from frequency spectrum analysis of pressure signals from pipelines in several flowing conditions like normal flowing, leakages, pump switching, etc. The results show that is possible to distinguish between the frequency spectra of those different flowing conditions, allowing recognition and announce of liquid pipeline leakages from pressure monitoring. Based upon these results, a pipeline leak detection algorithm employing frequency analysis of pressure signals is proposed, along with a methodology for its tuning and calibration. The proposed algorithm and its tuning methodology are evaluated with data obtained from real leakages accomplished in pipelines transferring crude oil and water, in order to evaluate its sensitivity, reliability and applicability to different flowing conditions

A temática ambiental na educação superior : políticas, gestão acadêmica e projetos de formação nos cursos da Universidade do Estado do Rio Grande do Norte

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico

Principais conclusões do workshop conjunto dos programas FAPESP BIOTA-BIOEN-mudanças climáticas: ciência e políticas públicas para uma economia mais verde, no contexto da RIO+20

Este Ponto de Vista resume as conclusões de um Workshop conjunto, organizado pelos três Programas da FAPESP na Área Ambiental - BIOTA (O Instituto Virtual da Biodiversidade) - BIOEN (Pesquisa em Bioenergia) - Mudanças Climáticas, para discutir a contribuição da comunidade científica para a RIO+20, a Conferência das Nações Unidas para o Desenvolvimento Sustentável. O grupo de pesquisadores brasileiros reunidos pela FAPESP no início de março de 2012 levantou as seguintes preocupações: a) o número reduzido de oportunidades para a comunidade científica interagir com Conferências como a RIO+20; b) as graves deficiências do ZeroDraft, documento produzido pela Divisão das Nações Unidas para o Desenvolvimento Sustentável para a RIO +20; c) o fato do foco de pesquisa dos três Programas de Pesquisa Ambiental da FAPESP - biodiversidade, bioenergia e mudanças climáticas - não estarem na pauta das discussões da RIO+20; d) que pouca ênfase é dada aos oceanos na Agenda da Conferência; e) em relação aos mecanismos de mercado associados com a transição para uma economia mais verde, a necessidade de enfatizar a redução de subsídios perversos e a promoção de incentivos econômicos para atividades ou processos de mitigação e/ou seqüestro de carbono; f) a necessidade de estimular o desenvolvimento e a consolidação da pesquisa na área de avaliação e valoração de serviços ambientais, no Brasil. Os participantes do Workshop reconheceram a necessidade de aprofundar o conhecimento sobre as convenções, tratados e acordos internacionais assinados e ratificados pelo Brasil, bem como as instituições internacionais, programas e iniciativas que promovem a participação da comunidade científica no debate de políticas ambientais globais. Finalmente, do ponto de vista dos três programas da FAPESP dois pontos foram destacados: a) que é imperativo aprofundar o conhecimento científico em cada uma das três áreas focais - biodiversidade, bioenergia e mudanças climáticas - porque é necessário aumentar a massa crítica de pesquisadores e do conhecimento para participar das discussões internacionais nessas áreas estratégicas; b) também é imperativo apoiar e promover projetos de pesquisa que integrem as áreas focais dos três programas, estimulando a constituição de equipes inter e transdisciplinares. Esta é uma tendência mundial na área das mudanças ambientais globais, e os participantes dos três programas sentem que podem dar uma contribuição significativa para o avanço do conhecimento, para o debate internacional e para a efetiva solução dos problemas.