IMPLEMENTATION OF THE BIODIVERSITY CONVENTION IN BRAZIL

AUTOR(ES)
DATA DE PUBLICAÇÃO

1998

RESUMO

The Convention on Biological Diversity came into force in December 1993. This Convention seeks to generate improved understanding of the biological resources of all countries, and to create conditions that protect and enhance biodiversity by appropriate policies, financial incentives and international collaboration. The Convention also aims to pioneer innovative means of sharing in fair and equitable ways the results and benefits arising from biotechnologies based on national biological resources and from the use of traditional knowledge, and practices relevant to the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity. This thesis examines how the Brazilian political system, including administrative structures, non-governmental organisations, and the academic sector, has responded to the Convention. At one level, the examination focuses on discourses, i.e. modes of interpretations as shaped by institutional structures and mandates. At another level, the thesis looks at the approach to biodiversity in a country emerging from a period of dictatorship, social inequity, environmental destruction, and economic crisis. Nowadays a new democratic regime is emerging with a desire to be a leading player on the world stage. So coupled with reform in economic management is a fresh interest in environmental matters, as well as in maintaining a good international reputation. This is therefore a critical time to examine how Brazils transformational economics and politics are grappling with an innovative arena of environmental management and land use. To illuminate the analysis further, local experiences were selected for particular attention, in the core of the Cerrado region, Brazils biologically rich savannah. Cerrado has been an agricultural frontier since the 1960s, and also used more recently for hydro-electric generation. The local perspective allowed the analysis of conservation efforts in protected areas, vis-à-vis the land management policies and practices of adjacent areas. The thesis concludes that Brazilian modernisation is bumping up against traditional bureaucratic and political structures that distort original intentions. In this process biodiversity is receiving too little attention. The aims of the Convention are in place, yet only as an echo.

ASSUNTO(S)

biodiversidade meio ambiente ciência e tecnologia, agricultura, planejamento convenção sobre diversidade biológica biological diversity implementação de políticas públicas brazil implementation of the public policies politicas publicas brasil biodiversity

ACESSO AO ARTIGO

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