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This paper introduces an index to assess the adaptive capacity of Indigenous Lands in the context of climate change vulnerability. The index was developed considering two sub-indices, one to evaluate the indigenous autonomy and ability to self-organise and establish relationships with other groups and the surrounding society, and the other to assess the level of protection of the Indigenous Land surroundings. The aim is to guide integrated climate adaptation strategies for electricity companies operating near Indigenous Land. The paper also presents an application of the proposed index in the Belo Monte hydropower plant in the Amazon region, with a strong presence of Indigenous Lands and one of Brazil's most important hydropower plants. The results made it possible to compare the adaptive capacity of the Indigenous Lands and evaluate their different degrees of engagement and environmental protection, which can help in the proposition of adaptation actions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Indigenous peoples and local communities are key actors in the preservation of important biodiversity resources around the world. However, the ever-encroaching agricultural frontier and expansion of conventional agricultural practices threaten these communities, their autonomy over the land, and the traditional knowledge and practices associated with biodiverse ecosystems. Agroecology emerges as an important solution to support the continuation of agrobiodiversity, food security, and environmental conservation, but top-down solutions often do not resonate with the lived realities of traditional, Indigenous, and small-scale farming communities. This paper examines a collaborative research and narrative network developed over the past several years around traditional erva-mate agroforestry production in Southern Paraná, Brazil. It offers an example of how oral environmental history and public history can support conservation practices through agroecology. The key outcomes of this interdisciplinary, multi-dimensional research and engagement were the development of a candidacy for the system to be recognized as a Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System (GIAHS) from the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the implementation of a Dynamic Conservation Action Plan to address the threats and challenges farmers and communities are facing. The discussion explores two concepts that were integral to these processes, the creation of narrative networks and a focus on plurivocity. Both approaches ensured that the actions, knowledge, and narratives developed through the GIAHS candidacy were not imposed but agreed upon and generative through narrative and dialogue, remaining true to the realities and lived experiences of community members. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reflects on the fundamental duty, extracted from art 225, caput, of the Brazilian Constitution, to protect and defend the environment. It refers to the duty arising from the fundamental right to an ecologically balanced environment. As it is a fundamental right, it defends the existence of a corresponding duty, in this case, a fundamental duty. Such a fundamental duty involves the relationship between present and future generations. The present generation must maintain and protect existing natural resources so the future generation may also enjoy the same natural resources. To reach the proposed objective, this paper adopts a deductive approach, has a qualitative character and uses the bibliographical-documentary procedure for its development. It concludes that the duty provided for in art 225, caput, is not enforceable by itself because it lacks efficacy; however, the right and duty to and with the environment are associated constitutional categories that become effective in return. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Corporate environmental sustainability requires two complementary types of green practices—environmental protection hardware (EPH) and environmental protection software (EPS). Stakeholder greening pressures drive implementation; however, corporate responses vary, often lacking the balance and intensity of EPS and EPH needed. This paper explores the role of green human resource management (GHRM) in explaining variations in the implementation of EPH and EPS in response to stakeholders' pro‐environmental pressures. Drawing on stakeholder theory and the ability, motivation, and opportunity (AMO) framework, a mediating role is hypothesized. Empirical findings from Brazil using structural equation modeling reveal that increased green pressure from stakeholders drives the adoption of both types of green practices through a partial mediating role of GHRM that is stronger for EPH than for EPS. The value of this study lies in the consideration of EPH and EPS practices in the same model and expanding stakeholder theory on how stakeholders can improve environmental protection through GHRM. Implications are that organizations can level the field for the balanced application of EPS and EPH with a system of green human resource management practices—training, assessment, rewards, and teamwork—to channel the translation of stakeholder pressures into workplace green outcomes. Limitations, future research ideas, and policy and practice implications are detailed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista de Gestão Ambiental e Sustentabilidade (GeAS) is the property of Revista de Gestao Ambiental e Sustentabilidade / UNINOVE and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Sustainability in Debate / Sustentabilidade em Debate is the property of University of Brasilia, Center for Sustainable Development and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This paper identifies the potential main social actors involved in and affected by the conservation and use of the Environmental Protection Area (EPA) of Engenho Pequeno, in Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil, and discusses how environmental education can be shaped to engage them in participatory, socially progressive and environmentally sustainable management for that area. Therefore, semi-structured interviews were conducted with individuals and entities related to the EPA. The snowball method complemented the mapping of non-official social actors. The discussion was based on the critical approach of environmental education, polycentric governance, adaptive management, environmental advocacy and case studies about education in protected areas. Results showed nine key stakeholders to be considered in a network program for the EPA's participatory management, including government, schools, local and nearby residents and religious groups. In the end, we recommend the hosting of a one day workshop, built around existing local and national environmental goals, as an entry point for trust building and the search for shared interests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, atmospheric pollutant emissions of NOx, SOx, CO, particulate matter (PM), total organic compounds (TOC), and CO2 from larger stationary sources of pollutants in Brazil were inventoried and spatialized over the whole Brazilian territory for the base year 2011. The developed inventory comprises a total of 16 refining units, 1730 thermoelectric power plants (TPPs), 96 cement industries, and 64 paper and cellulose industries. To obtain the dataset, some strategies were used, including mail contact, official datasets, personal requesting, web maps usage, and official industry websites. The emission factors were based on lower and upper limits proposed by the AP-42 standards of the US Environmental Protection Agency – USEPA, as well as, emission factors provided by air pollution control agencies, industries, and those identified in the scientific literature. The results show values of 857 ± 415 Gg/year for NOx, 1.51 ± 1.23 Tg/year for SOx, 21.2 ± 13.7 Tg/year for CO, 10.4 ± 10.1 Tg/year for PM, 1.14 ± 0.95 Tg/year for TOC, and 476 ± 142 Tg/year for CO2. In comparison with the official vehicular emission inventory provided by the Ministry of Environment for the year 2011, the total NOx emissions estimated in this work were slightly lower than vehicular emissions, while SOx was 300 times greater than vehicular emissions. For CO, the stationary emissions inventoried were around 17 times greater than vehicular emissions, while PM was approximately 360 times greater than those from vehicles. In terms of comparison with existing global databases, the estimates of this work showed a good level of agreement with the pollutants estimated by the Global Emissions EDGAR v4.3.1, except for PM and CO, which were higher in our estimates. The major contribution of the proposed inventory lies in its improved spatialized distribution, higher resolution, and greater distinctness about the high level of uncertainty associated with the emission inventories for the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reconciling conservation with rural development often constitutes a socio-environmental dilemma, in which ecotourism plays the part of either the panacea or the ‘poverty trap’ for local populations. Features of the local context, such as social heterogeneity, opportunities for education and jobs, and images of rural and urban life, provide a more nuanced understanding of this polarised debate. In this analysis of a youth ecotourism project, we consider that youth face distinct daily struggles and have aspirations in life that differ from those of the older generation. Therefore, the opportunities/constraints in and around protected areas influence and affect them in particular ways. In this paper, we address the gap in the literature on the position of young people living in peri-urban areas nearby conservation units, as we believe that these factors may shed some lights on the importance of intangible outcomes of sustainable development/conservation projects. Based on data from the peri-urban ‘forest town’ Curuçá on the Amazonian Atlantic coast of Brazil, we discuss how young people, involved in an ecotourism project in the Marine Extractive Reserve Mãe Grande de Curuçá, perceive their roles when it comes to conservation and development, education, jobs and their aspirations for the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper was to estimate the visitation potential within the Brazilian Federal system of Protected Areas, based on an expanded Recreation Opportunity Spectrum (ROS) framework (physical, social, and managerial attributes). In addition, this paper seeks to develop a series of models to estimate the number of visitors based on classes of recreational use. Data were collected from different sources: (1) primary data were collected online, surveying managers of 71 National Parks and 67 National Forests; (2) data were gathered from secondary sources (a government agency's (ICMBio) internal management reports and other mediums, such as databases and websites). Selected variables, data collection methods, and analyses were adapted from previous research. The study employed Pearson's correlation and stepwise linear regression to analyze how indicators from the physical, social, and managerial attributes were related to the number of visitors. Models were created to estimate the potential number of visitors. Results indicated that tourism demand was correlated to physical, social, and managerial attributes (internal and external) accordingly to the expanded ROS model. Besides, while internal characteristics and management objectives were the most important variables, external factors independent of protected areas governance were also influential. Using a conservative approach, analyses indicated that by increasing internal investments in the federal system, there would have been 13.4 million visitors to protected areas in 2015, instead of the observed 8.1 million visitors. This would represent an increase of 62% in recreation opportunities, augmenting revenues for the protected areas agency, and business and employment opportunities for local communities. Overall, results exemplified the relative importance of different protected areas attributes and their need in developing protected areas. In addition, outdoor recreation needs to be planned within a larger context of a touristic destination. Accordingly, outreach initiatives by managers at the local and regional levels are recommended. The findings of this study can assist in developing a more efficient visitor management system in Brazil. This has the potential to increase visitation and revenues, as well as subsequently provide resources to engage in environmental conservation and economic development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Multitemas is the property of Multitemas and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Leachate generation is one of the problems present in the landfills and dumps, needing monitoring and quantification for the environmental conservation. The objective of this paper is to evaluate temporal data of leachate contamination in a municipal solid waste (MSW) landfill, located in the midwest of São Paulo state, Brazil. The physical-chemical parameters and chemical compounds of the local groundwater were evaluated during 13 years (2002 to 2015). The methodology included data processing and temporal behavior analysis by Mann-Kendall test. Physical-chemical parameters demonstrated a change from acid to basic medium and decrease of BOD, COD, and TOC concentrations. Chemical compounds demonstrated high concentrations close to the administration building of the landfill, despite the decrease of certain compounds (Al, Fe, Hg, K, Na, Pb, SO42−, total PO43−, Zn) over time in the entire landfill area. The results demonstrate that the landfill is in natural attenuation process, and the structures of the surrounding landscape and the location of the MSW disposal are fundamental to understand the presence and rate of each chemical compound. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developing institutional arrangements for supporting sustainable fisheries has been a critical challenge for the governance of common-pool resources, especially in transboundary regions. In this paper, we analyze the impact of governance arrangements on a small-scale fishery system on the Brazil-Bolivia border in the Amazon region. Data collection involved documental analysis, literature review and conduction of semi-structured interviews with fishers and environmental protection/regulatory agencies' staff. We present an exploratory qualitative analysis of the interactions between the fishery system's attributes (biological, environmental, technical and governance), examining institutional arrangements among diverse stakeholders. Results reveal that the small-scale fishery characteristics and the relationships between resources and stakeholders has contributed to stock maintenance and overall sustainability of the fishery system. Nevertheless, we also found that the governance structure is fragile due to weak institutional arrangements within and between countries, resulting in increased vulnerability of the fishery system to imminent threats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Sustainability in Debate / Sustentabilidade em Debate is the property of University of Brasilia, Center for Sustainable Development and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Floresta is the property of Revista Floresta and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Knowing the spatial distribution of endangered tree species in a forest ecosystem or forest remnants is a valuable information to support environmental conservation practices. The use of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) offers a suitable alternative for this task, providing very high-resolution images at low costs. In parallel, recent advances in the computer vision field have led to the development of effective deep learning techniques for end-to-end semantic image segmentation. In this scenario, the DeepLabv3+ is well established as the state-of-the-art deep learning method for semantic segmentation tasks. The present paper proposes and assesses the use of DeepLabv3+ for mapping the threatened Dipteryx alata Vogel tree, popularly also known as cumbaru. We also compare two backbone networks for feature extraction in the DeepLabv3+ architecture: the Xception and MobileNetv2. Experiments carried out on a dataset consisting of 225 UAV/RGB images of an urban area in Midwest Brazil demonstrated that DeepLabv3+ was able to achieve in mean overall accuracy and F1-score above 90%, and IoU above 80%. The experimental analysis also pointed out that the MobileNetv2 backbone overcame its counterpart by a wide margin due to its comparatively simpler architecture in view of the available training data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental issues have been at the center of society's concerns for a long time. Recently, this kind of concern is growing even more due to the damage caused to the environment by electrical and electronic product waste. Based on this same concern, this work aimed to analyze, through a literature review, the production and treatment of electronic waste in today's world, with an emphasis on Brazil and China. The articles reviewed point to an increase in the production of this type of waste, in both Brazil and China, and reveal that the current processes of treatment of electronic waste mostly aim to obtain profit through the recovery of precious metals such as copper. This paper concluded that although Brazil is one of the major producers of e‐waste, more than 90% of its e‐waste has not had a proper final destination. This deficiency in e‐waste treatment in Brazil is mainly due to financial factors and the lack of a robust educational policy focused on the environment. Thus, this work suggests the implementation of an effective educational policy aimed at environmental conservation, as well as investments in research on recycling methods in Brazil, especially on the use of e‐waste as an aggregate in the manufacture of concrete. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista em Agronegócio e Meio Ambiente is the property of Revista em Agronegocio e Meio Ambiente and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Cuadernos de Geografia: Revista Colombiana de Geografía is the property of Universidad Nacional de Colombia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Caatinga is a typical Brazilian biome facing severe threats despite its ecological and socio-economic importance. Conservation strategies are essential in protecting ecosystems and ensuring natural resource sustainability. Mata da Pimenteira State Park (PEMP), launched in 2012, is an example of such a strategy. The current study aims to use orbital remote sensing techniques to assess human impacts on changes in land use and land cover (LULC) after the establishment of PEMP in the semi-arid region known as Caatinga, in Pernambuco State. The effects of this unit on vegetation preservation were specifically analyzed based on using data from the MapBiomas Brasil project to assess trends in LULC, both in and around PEMP, from 2002 to 2020. Man–Kendall and Pettitt statistical tests were applied to identify significant changes, such as converting forest areas into pastures and agricultural plantations. Trends of the loss and gain of LULC were observed over the years, such as forest areas' conversion into pasture and vice versa, mainly before and after PEMP implementation. These findings highlight the importance of developing conservation measures and planning to help protecting the Caatinga, which is a vital biome in Brazil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista em Agronegócio e Meio Ambiente is the property of Revista em Agronegocio e Meio Ambiente and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Ecotourism is considered an important activity provided by natural ecosystem services in the Fernando de Noronha archipelago through recreation opportunities. Since 2010, the Fernando de Noronha National Marine Park has been experiencing a private-public partnership between the park's management and a concessionaire, imposing fees to visitors in order to provide sustainable facilities to some attractions of the protected area. Payments for ecosystem services schemes are being implemented in many parts of the world in an effort to promote environmental protection, showing positive outcomes. Therefore, the objective of this study is to analyse the empirical case of payments for ecosystem services through ecotourism based on economic and political theory. The economic theory identifies the economic processes generated by the payments, while the political theory identifies the political actors and their respective power strategies that aid in the implementation of a specific scheme of payments for ecosystem services. Furthermore, the aim of the study is to determine which factors are successful in utilizing payments for ecosystem services as an instrument to preserve ecosystems via ecotourism. Moreover, the paper links an economic approach to power theories, which is a dynamic perspective on tourism studies. To reach the results, economic and political factors are identified according to existing theory and are then compared with empirical evidence from the archipelago. The most powerful actors that have influence on the ecotourism activities were interviewed in order to determine their power elements as well as their level of support for the payments, according to the power analysis that take into consideration the following power elements: coercion, incentives, and disincentives and dominant information. The economic analysis shows that payments for ecosystem services sufficiently meet the standards of the economic model and the political analysis explains this success by the influence of various powerful actors in Fernando de Noronha. Furthermore, the results support the hypothesis that only payments for ecosystem services which can gain the support of powerful actors are effective in practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Green Buildings Labels (GBL) are indicated as one of the means with the potential to contribute to sustainable development. Worldwide, more than 850,000 green buildings have already had their project and development helped by just three of the GBLs (LEED, BREEAM, and BASIX). Brazil, however, has only 874 LEED-certified projects. Aiming to propose strategies to foster the adoption of GBL in the country, this paper developed an interpretative model involving barriers to them in Brazil. For this, the technique of Validated Interpretative Structural Modeling (VISM) was developed aiming to add statistical validity to interpretative models even in situations of research with small sample sizes. VISM is a modeling technique that incorporates the simplicity of Interpretative Structural Modeling (ISM) with the significance testing procedures of Partial Least Squares - Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). Adopting the VISM, the barriers model was then developed in five steps: (1) identification of indicators; (2) definition of constructs; (3) identification of relations between constructs; (4) validation of relations between constructs; and (5) creation of the conceptual model. As a result, VISM proved to be an effective innovative modeling technique in the development of models for exploratory research and presents results consistent with the reality studied. Regarding the model developed, the main barriers identified by the study to the adoption of GBL in Brazil are: "environmental protection mechanisms"; "costs and return on investment"; "mistrust of the benefits from GBL"; "corporate and public awareness"; "maturity and market economics"; and the "project, construction, and operation of green buildings". • The paper develop a model of barriers to adoption of green buildings labels in Brazil. • The paper present the technique of Validated Interpretative Structural Modeling. • The technique can help exploratory research with small sample sizes. • ISM models with circular and cross relationships can be validated. • Environmental protection mechanisms and costs hinder green buildings labels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Latin American Studies is the property of Cambridge University Press and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Ambiente & Sociedade is the property of Nepam Unicamp and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Understanding nature as an outcome of organising discourses generated through relative experiences of our surroundings has been the groundwork of a political ecology that deals with the distribution of environmental justice among people with different degrees of power. In this paper, we examine how the environmental legislation and the tourism industry have constructed the term Caiçara as a way to categorise the inhabitants of the Atlantic Forest Coast of Brazil, in ways that meet their goals, but in turn occludes the discourse of the Caiçara themselves. Ethnographic research conducted in Ponta Negra, a small coastal community located at the heart of the Juatinga Ecological Reserve (Paraty, Rio de Janeiro State), as well as a review of key legislation, management plans and tourism materials form the empirical basis of this research. First, we offer a critical examination of the historical origin of the term Caiçara. We then compare contradictory ideas of Caiçara produced by Brazilian environmental legislation and the tourism industry. While the environmental legislation has characterised the Caiçara as fallen angels who are no longer conservation allies, the tourism industry has profited by selling them as ecologically noble savages who still live in harmony with the environment. Our analysis shows how Ponta Negra people have become objects of powerful discourses of nature that hinder the recognition of their collective rights and weaken their position to negotiate for their own desires and aspirations related to their identity and livelihoods. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Copyright of Geografia is the property of Associacao de Geografia Teoretica and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The Serra da Mantiqueira Environmental Protection Area (SMEPA) is one of the most important and unique Brazilian conservation units of the Atlantic Forest biome, located in the eponymous relief unit. Although the environmental and water resources relevance of the SMEPA is widely known, it lacks specific studies about the hydrologic behavior of the region. This paper aims to contribute to the understanding of the rainfall behavior over the SMEPA, by detecting monotonic trends of total annual and seasonal rainfalls. The study was performed by applying the Mann-Kendall test to 37 years series from 23 rainfall stations located within and around the SMEPA. No trends were detected in total annual and spring seasonal rainfall. Few stations (one during summer, two during autumn and two during winter) presented statistically significant trends, indicating that there is no regional trend over the SMEPA region. The isolated significant trends detected suggest the existence of sites with distinct rainfall behavior in the mesoscale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Early assessment of environmental issues is key for sound decision-making about licensing of offshore oil and gas exploration sites. In this paper, we recall the historical background of such early assessments in Brazil showing that a simple consultation process in place for the last 15 years was able to steer oil and gas exploration away from sensitive areas. A more structured SEA-type instrument was designed in 2012, but its actual contribution to the effectiveness of early assessments remains to be seen as the first assessment reports are still to be delivered. Recent changes in the institutional and political context in Brazil have enabled the new government to ignore both the established consultation process and the ongoing SEA-type process. This shift of orientation led to the inclusion of environmentally sensitive areas in bidding rounds in 2019. Following this government decision, various initiatives to preserve the recommendations from the previous consultation process have illustrated the relevance of environmental/impact assessment not only to ease decision-making processes but also as a tool to safeguard environmental protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Foco (Interdisciplinary Studies Journal) is the property of Revista Foco and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

International society has begun to consider river basins and the coastal zone as one management unit that requires an ecosystem approach. Various countries have undertaken initiatives since the 1970s and have improved the approach to integrated coastal zone management. Brazil has not been one of them. Its sector-based approach to most environmental issues started in the 1980s with the National Environmental Policy Act (Law 6,938/1981). The National Coastal Zone Management Plan (NCZMP) was then approved by Law 7,661 in 1988. Shortly thereafter, the 1988 Brazilian Constitution was enacted, which established the environment as a common good to be used by the entire society but in such a way as to prevent environmental degradation and conserve its quality for present and future generations. The National Water Resources Policy (NWRP) was not enacted until 1997 (Law 9,433/1997). This law established that water resource management in Brazil must take into account estuarine ecosystems and the coastal zone, using an integrated approach. Only in 2006 did the National Water Resources Council (NWRC) create a technical chamber dedicated to developing regulatory measures for integrated management in Brazil. There has been substantial discussion and various proposals to implement it, as outlined in this article. This paper concludes with suggestions for implementing integrated river basin and coastal zone management in Brazil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Several activities, such as port and fishing operations, exploit coastal marine ecosystems around the world, creating significant environmental impact. Since these activities often overlap spatially, they can interfere with each other. This paper aims to evaluate the spatiotemporal variability in the relative abundance of the Atlantic seabob shrimp (Xiphopenaeus kroyeri), caught in the central coastal marine region of the State of São Paulo, Brazil, where port activity takes place next to environmental protection areas. Commercial fishing data from a 6-year period (2009–2014) were used to perform this evaluation. Generalized linear models (GLMs) were applied to the catch and effort data, and model coefficients were used to calculate the catch per unit effort (CPUE, kg/fishing day), which was standardized per square nautical mile and year. Semivariogram and kriging techniques were used to evaluate the existence of spatial dependence in the data and to estimate the standardized CPUE in unsampled areas. Isotropic spherical semivariogram models were fitted using the least squares method, and they showed a pattern of spatial dependence for all years. Variation in Atlantic seabob relative abundance within the vessel demarcation area of the Port of Santos was similar to that in the area used for dumping dredged material, although the latter was fished more frequently, thus creating larger catches. Therefore, commercial fishing data can be used to evaluate the spatiotemporal variation in the relative abundance of marine species in coastal regions. The results suggest that fishing and port activities interfere with one another in the region of the Port of Santos. Highlights • Spatiotemporal data of species abundance are very useful for coastal management. • Commercial fishing data of coastal species caught can be used in the estimates. • Seabob shrimp spatiotemporal abundance was estimated and evaluated. • Were identified variations in the abundance between areas with different uses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • This article compares conservation guidelines and Protected Areas created in Brazil. • The analysis was performed for the whole country and at a single State (São Paulo). • Federal Protected Areas were created mainly in areas of high biological importance. • Other factors than science guide the creation of State Protected Areas in São Paulo. • Misallocation of public funds for conservation occurs largely in São Paulo. Abstract The current rates of biodiversity loss are amongst the major global environmental problems, especially in the tropics. The creation of Protected Areas (PAs) is the most widespread strategy adopted for the minimization of such problem. However, official studies that guide the creation of PAs frequently do not convert their outcomes into conservation. This problem is not expected in Brazil, because scientific studies for the definition of priority areas for conservation were ordered by the same institutions in charge of the creation and management of PAs. In this paper, we compared the spatial distribution of PAs created in Brazil in the past decade with studies of priority areas for the protection of biodiversity. At a federal level of analysis, 19.44% of federal PAs are located in non-priority sites, which represents 0.47% of the total land area of federal PAs created. At a state level, 71.05% of state PAs are located in non-priority sites, which represents 60.68% of the total land area of state PAs created. In 2015, the total cost for the preservation of PAs in non-priority classes was US$ 17,539.30 (3.28% of the annual budget for federal PAs created after 2007) at federal level and US$ 541,745.02 (55.98% of the annual budget for state PAs created after 2008) at state level. The findings contribute to the development of strategies for the creation of new PAs in Brazil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Best practices that the electric system industry could take to better design policies and processes to modernize electric utilities. • Results have exposed important management gaps and have shown new models that can contribute to the modernization of the electric utilities. • Three main dynamic capabilities are important: new policies to enable network innovation, bureaucracy reduction and investments in education. The traditional manufacturing business model is changing for new emerging models. Many changes are related to the industry 4.0 challenge and among them there is a concern regarding how industries will meet the objectives of sustainable operations, especially on that of environmental protection and process safety. Some industries are making great efforts to get aligned with the industry 4.0 paradigm, and for the Electric System Industry, it is no different. Because of its strategic and environmental importance, the electric system industry must be investigated. In this article we used qualitative research based on a systemic approach, using the Soft System Methodology (SSM) to address the challenges brought by the industry 4.0 paradigm in the electric system industry in Brazil, focusing on the topic of environmental protection and process safety. Moreover, we point out important capabilities needed by these companies to keep up with the new industrial revolution. Results from the SSM have exposed important management gaps and hence have shown new possible management models that can contribute to the modernization of the electric utilities in Brazil, making these industries more sustainable. In fact, it is imperative for companies to detail the organizational capabilities they will need to thrive in the business process. Therefore, we conclude the paper by indicating the three main dynamic capabilities that have emerged: new policies to enable innovation, bureaucracy reduction, and investments in education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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This article examines the prevailing blue economy narrative in Latin America and the Caribbean, emphasizing its inherent inequities. It focuses on the perspectives of artisanal fisher leaders from 16 countries who participated in a regional workshop organized by the International Collective in Support of Fishworkers in Brazil in the context of the International Year of Artisanal Fisheries and Aquaculture, Fisherfolks' perspectives align well with recent calls for 'Blue Justice', which emphasizes the interconnectedness of health, food security and sovereignty, culture, identity, and environmental protection. It also underscores the significance of gender equity and youth involvement in small-scale artisanal fisheries, solidarity among fishers, and adherence to the FAO's Voluntary Guidelines for Securing Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries in the Context of Food Security and Poverty Eradication (SSF Guidelines). Latin American and Caribbean fisher leaders argue for a model of development that recognizes and mitigates inherent inequities, promotes inclusivity, safeguards rights, and empowers communities to exercise sovereignty over their local ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Cerrado is the richest savanna and is undergoing one of the planet's most rapid land transformations for pasture and agriculture; around 45% of the biome has been deforested. Agriculture is of strategic importance to Brazil, but it also modifies ecosystems and jeopardizes habitats and biodiversity. Well-managed agricultural lands can have a favorable impact on environmental conservation. In this paper, we reviewed our current knowledge about water ecology and fire management to show that an ecosystem services perspective can bring about a conciliation of agriculture production with conservation by supporting effective land use decision-making and the optimization of public policy. The landscape/watershed scale seems to be the most relevant for decision-making on how to achieve production and conservation results. This scale appears to be an appropriate level for engaging with stakeholders. Fire frequency and timing (season) combination are determinant of individuals' survivorship. The combination determines vegetation recovery, and it is important to maintain high biodiversity, especially for the herbaceous layer, but it is a limitation to woody vegetation recovery. A pragmatic and conciliatory land use agenda must be based on scientific knowledge and support innovative decision-making solutions for policy-makers and stakeholders, particularly farmers and donors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to show a health territorialization methodology built from the experiences of endemic control and environmental health agents in the Metropolitan Region of Recife (RMR). Ten workshops were held with the participation of three hundred Health Surveillance agents and supervisors working in four municipalities of the RMR. Techniques such as the application of questionnaires, interviews and directed discussions were used. Results indicate that the incorporation of geographical concepts to consolidate Health Surveillance field actions is incipient. The territory is predominantly adopted from an administrative perspective, and territorialization is used as a simple territorial division for the development of actions. However, there is an understanding and consensus of the need to understand the geographic knowledge, a fact that was expressed by the rich collective construction of a participatory territorialization model that should involve a range of social stakeholders. We concluded that, in practice, surveillance agents have significant abilities to participate in the territorial management and territorialization process, not only collecting data, but also mainly intervening for the collective well-being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Brazil, the Cadastro Ambiental Rural (CAR) is currently being implemented. This policy aims to geo-reference all properties and promote monitoring of, and compliance with, natural vegetation conservation requirements. Scholarly efforts and policy attention have so far concentrated on possible environmental impacts hereof, while the attention devoted to how the CAR might affect farmers' livelihoods has been limited. In this paper, we evaluate potential livelihood impacts of the CAR and programs that facilitate CAR registration. We do so by developing a conceptual framework and using evidence from semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders including farmers, governments, and funding agencies. We find that while the CAR and programs facilitating CAR do not have explicit livelihood impact goals, they nonetheless affect livelihoods, both positively and negatively, depending on the initial amount of natural vegetation on farmers' properties, farmers' access to credit and infrastructure, and changing market conditions. We argue that environmental interventions and policies need to consider potential livelihood impacts, especially if the policy intervention area has high poverty rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim in this paper was to evaluate the spatial distribution of protected areas defined by law and their importance as structural corridors. The study area was 7,559,783.69 ha located in Western Bahia (Northeast Brazil), restricted to the limits of the Urucuia Group (Upper Cretaceous), where there is strong agribusiness growth. Currently, a major dilemma in Brazilian public policy arises from the conflicting interests of environmental conservation and increased food production. Brazilian environmental protection policies include the implantation of Protected Areas (Full Protection Units and Sustainable Use Units) and the adoption of the National Forest Act (Permanent Preservation Areas and Legal Reserves). In this context, we delimited illegal land-use in Permanent Preservation Areas (PPAs) adopting the intersection between land-use/land-cover data from PRISM/ALOS image classification for the years 2007–2010 and PPA vectors. We performed the temporal analysis in PAs considering land-use/land-cover data from Landsat TM image classification for the years 1988, 1992, 1996, 2000, 2004, 2008 and 2011. Finally, we performed a Morphological Spatial Pattern Analysis (MSPA) to evaluate whether PPAs alone are sufficient as structural corridors. Hypothetical scenarios were simulated to increase the potential of PPAs as structural corridors. The calculation of MSPA attributes was conducted considering 3 edge widths: 15 m (1 pixel), 510 m (34 pixels), and 1005 m (67 pixels). Four scenarios were simulated, considering a gradual increase in preserved areas. The results show that illegal land use is contained within PPA and protected areas. The scenario simulations present alternatives to increase the connectivity of the fragments and ensure the maintenance of ecological and hydrological services. Rapid agricultural expansion without proper landscape planning can compromise the sustainability of ecosystem services and the recharge zone of the Urucuia aquifer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Habitat loss and natural vegetation fragmentation are significant causes of global biodiversity decline, impacting plant and animal species negatively. This issue is worrisome in the private areas of Cerrado in Brazil, which is the second-largest biome, considered a hotspot for biodiversity conservation, and a provider of ecosystem services. Herein, we present a novel integrated approach to define priority areas for biodiversity conservation and environmental compensation in Cerrado, using multicriteria analysis. Our approach combines variables like deforestation projection, integral index of connectivity, threatened species occurrence, and environmental information of rural properties, ranking the importance of remaining native vegetation for biodiversity conservation and forest certificate issuance. Landscape metrics were used to observe and predict land use and land cover changes from 1988 to 2038. We found a loss of native vegetation in the Cerrado superior to 20% between 1988 and 2018, associated with increased of its fragmentation and its connectivity loss, especially after 2008. Natural cover was replaced mostly by pasture and more recently by agriculture. Moreover, we determined that is expected a loss of native vegetation of around 55% by 2038 in the study area. The proposed approach can predict the consequences of future changes in the landscape of the private areas in the Cerrado biome. It should be replicated in other ecosystems, supporting the decision-making process for biodiversity protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wood in marine environments requires protection against xylophagous, and to increase the effectiveness of the preservatives, it is first necessary to know environmental conditions and species of wood borers present. The durability of treated Pinus taeda wood against the attack of marine borers in different environments was investigated, with (1) burnt oil, by the hot-cold bath method; (2) paraffin, by the Bethell method; (3) superficial burning of the wood with oil application, known as shou sugi ban technique; and (4) impermeable rubber, with and without the addition of silica, by immersion. The experiment was adapted from the standard EN 275 (1992) and carried out in three areas, one located in a river and two in estuarine coastal areas of the Paranaguá Bay (Brazil). Based on the percentage of lost wood area, the treatment with impermeable rubber with the addition of silica showed the best performance at the local 1 site (26.3%). At the local 2 site, treatments with impermeable rubber with and without the addition of silica had the lowest percentages of loss, with mean values of 13.95 and 12.65%, respectively. The other treatments had losses above 30%, being classified as severe damage, meaning they are not suitable for this use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Corbicula fluminea is an Asian mussel that has aggressively invaded freshwater habitats worldwide, causing damage both economically and with the disappearance of native species. In Brazil, this species is present in almost all watersheds, including areas of Federal Conservation Units. In this context, the present work reported the first record of C. fluminea in the Carajás mosaic, Pará, Brazil, a Federal Conservation Area. Collections were made in September and February 2021 and May 2022. In total, 154 specimens of C. fluminea were collected. The size range of the specimens was 16 to 28 mm in shell length and 1.46 to 5.91 g in wet weight. This new record extends the distribution of this species in South America and in the tropical watersheds of Brazil and is the first record in federal protected areas, highlighting the need for large-scale knowledge of the environmental and economic changes that the species can cause. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the last decade, environmental protection is one of the major challenges. It is necessary to ensure the protection of the environment and the conservation of natural resources, in accordance with the requirements of a sustainable economic and social development. The most important impact of modern human activities is the release of large amounts of different compounds after burning of fossil fuels, which are responsible for increasing of greenhouse gases (GHG) concentrations in the atmosphere. The depletion of fossil fuels and necessity to increase energy reserves, especially for the propulsion of transport, contributed to search and use of alternative fuels. Partially or completely substitution of gasoline with bioethanol is an alternative method to reduce GHG emissions. Currently, biofuels (first generation) are produced from sources which are used to feed the population. The competition between food vs. biofuel could be solved if biofuels were obtained from renewable resources, such as lignocellulosic biomass (LCB). Second-generation biofuels are obtained from raw materials such as agricultural (straws, sugarcane bagasse, corn stalks and cobs) and forestry residues (sawdust, bark, branches, etc.) which do not interfere with global food production. In 2019, the main producers of bioethanol were USA, Brazil and EU which produced about 54%, 30% and 5% respectively of the worldwide bioethanol. This paper reviews the most important steps in bioethanol production are pretreatment, hydrolysis and fermentation of the mash. There are a lot of pretreatments, such as physical, chemical, physicochemical, biological and combined pretreatments. The combined pretreatments have been shown to be more effective compared to single pretreatments, and there is a wide range of combinations which can be applied in the future. Hydrolysis step contributes to the release of fermentable sugars, which are further converted by microorganisms into bioethanol. There are a lot of hidrolysis methods, such as Separated Hydrolysis and Fermentation (SHF), Simultaneous Saccharification and Fermentation (SSF), Simultaneous Saccharification and co-Fermentation (SSCF) and Consolidated Bioprocessing (CBP). The liquid fraction obtained after pretreatment and hydrolysis contain various predominant carbohydrates such as glucose and xylose. Therefore, special microorganisms are needed to perform co-fermentation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mangrove represents an ecosystem that marks the transition between terrestrial and marine environments and is considered as an important ecological indicator for the ecosystem services provided. However, even with its ecological importance, this ecosystem suffers human pressures and has been losing area and environmental quality. In Brazil, and particularly in Paranaguá, a number of anthropic uses have caused strong pressures on mangroves. Therefore, the main objective of this research is to assess the degree of anthropization of the urban mangroves in the city of Paranaguá (PR), through the use of very high spatial resolution images, obtained from Remotely Piloted Aircraft in order to support municipal policies for landuse planning. The methodological scope adopted involved the production of maps with the QGIS 3.10 software, from the photointerpretation of orthomosaics obtained through a field campaign. The anthropization classes adopted in the legend were: Household Garbage (i), Debris (construction material) (ii), Untreated domestic effluents (residential) (iii) and Shackle (iv). As results, it was identified 475 points of anthropic pressure on the 22 mangrove patches analyzed. The main class was household garbage, followed respectively by untreated domestic effluents (residential), debris (construction material) and, finally, shackles. The conclusions point out that the use of high-resolution orthomosaics proved to be an important and effective tool in analyzing the anthropization of urban mangroves, highlighting the areas with higher pressure and contributing to a continuous monitoring. The products of this research can help in the elaboration of land-use planning instruments for the municipality, emphasizing the need for the construction of a holistic view in favor of mangrove conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The way vegetation is officially named, classified, and identified has critical implications for ecosystems and biodiversity conservation. Yet little attention is given to how such issues hinder the efficacy of laws mandating environmental conservation on private land. In the Brazilian Amazon where half of the land is now already under private tenure or is available for future land-uses, differences in vegetation mapping and interpretation directly affect the level of protection in private rural properties, especially in transition areas where forest and savanna areas intermingle. Since Brazil's Native Vegetation Protection Law (NVPL) attaches a higher percentage of protection to forest-located properties, landowners may be tempted to use conflicting mappings and different vegetation classifications to claim their properties are located in areas other than forests to reduce their conservation requirements. In this paper, we compare three official vegetation databases and examine different law interpretation scenarios to assess the extent to which the level of private conservation may fluctuate. We found a difference of up to 430,000 km2 of protected vegetation (an area the size of Iraq) according to the database and vegetation characteristics chosen. This technical ambiguity may lead to make additional deforestation legal or reduce sharply the amount of vegetation to be restored for these areas, if left unaddressed. Clarifying the database and criteria used to define forest is critical, especially as Brazilian states may make different choices in that regard, and cases in which loopholes are exploited occurred in the recent past. Given the importance of this region for global biodiversity conservation and climate, we highlight the urgent need to: (1) support additional research to clarify vegetation characteristics and location; (2) agree on a harmonized methodology to determine forests for NVPL implementation, and (3) explore alternative criteria for defining forests when databases conflict. • Accurate native vegetation mapping is key to private forest conservation. • Uncertain vegetation classification weakens compliance with Brazil's forest law. • Study provides scenarios exploring the implications of multiple vegetation databases. • 430,000 square kilometers of the Brazilian Amazon are at risk of reduced protection. • Both deforestation and native vegetation restoration are affected by this. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current pesticide registration process in Brazil is mainly hazard‐based and does not consider exposure and therefore risk. However, the scenario prompted changes and discussions about risk assessments by Brazilian environmental regulatory agencies. The US Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Pesticide in Water Calculator (PWC) model is used as a regulatory tool for aquatic exposure assessment in Canada and the USA for exposure evaluation of agrochemical products; nevertheless, the available scenarios only consider North American local conditions. This work aims to demonstrate a parametrization of the PWC model for a Brazilian scenario, considering the active ingredient glyphosate and sugarcane agronomic practices. The estimated environmental concentrations (EECs) obtained were compared with two standard EPA scenarios. Essential parameter data to build a specific local scenario were collected from the literature and official Brazilian databases. The EECs (1‐in‐10 years) of glyphosate according to the conditions established were 1.427 μg L−1 (1st day), 0.382 µg L−1 (21st day), and 0.2027 µg L−1 (60th day). These values can be used as exposure elements in acute and chronic risk assessments considering the agricultural practices used in the developed scenario. A 4.45‐fold and 1.28‐fold difference was found comparing the 1‐day (1‐in‐10 years) average concentration of the Brazilian scenario with two EPA standard scenarios. Such a difference may affect the outcome of risk assessments, affecting regulatory decisions. This demonstrates the importance of generating more realistic scenarios for Brazil, yielding surface water EECs that consider local conditions. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2022;18:1387–1398. © 2021 SETAC Key Points: Estimated environmental concentrations (EECs) generated by standard EPA‐PWC scenarios can differ greatly from the ones when local conditions are considered and such difference may affect the outcome of the risk assessment, and regulatory decisions.Developing local PWC scenarios, instead of developing a new exposure calculator is a more straightforward approach since it is possible build on a previously regulatory approved and validated tool.It is feasible for local regulatory, industry and academic scientific groups to build PWC local scenarios from the selection of specific local data—such as meteorological information, soil characteristics, runoff parameters—to be used as an exposure element in risk assessments.Considering that Brazil has continental extensions with different climates, soils, and representative crops, the development of local scenarios for representative regions is crucial to obtain more realistic EECs addressing aquatic risk assessments appropriately. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the viability of producing energy and agricultural soil conditioners with biochars and bio-oils from the pyrolysis of biomasses that in some cases are potential environmental pollutants. This approach addresses the need to develop sustainable production systems that minimize pollution and soil degradation, and meet the demand for renewable fuels. Large volumes of biomass from different sources are available in Brazil, including Eucalyptus crop residues (CE), castor meal (CM), coconut pericarp (CP), sugarcane bagasse (SB), and water hyacinth (WH). CM char and SB bio-oil are good prospects for energy generation. Characterization using DRIFT, 13 C NMR, and van Krevelen diagrams indicated that after carbonization, aromatic structures were predominant in the biochars produced from the CP, CE, and SB biomasses, while aliphatic groups were abundant in the biochars from CM and WH. Analysis using EPR showed that unpaired electrons were preferentially located on carbon atoms in the case of the CP, CE, and SB biochars, with EPR g values around 2.0030, while the CM and WH biochars presented g values around 2.0035, indicating that the unpaired electrons were closer to oxygen atoms. In terms of bio-oil chemical composition, the most abundant compounds were 3-pyridinol and furans (WH), phenols (CP), and hexadecanoic, octadecanoic, 9,12-octadecenoic (z,z), 3-docosenoic, and 5-docosenoic acids (present only in the CM bio-oil). The bio-oils from SB and CE were quite similar and the main compound was 1,2,6-hexanetriol. The biomass sources studied produced reasonable amounts of bio-oil, and could compete as suitable raw materials for biofuel production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]