GEO Brasil - UNEP

Chapter 2 ........................................................................................... 23
The State of the Environment .......................................................... 23
1. Territorial Dynamics and the Environment
onment..........................
25
1.1 The Geopolitical Context of Brazilian Territorial
Configuration.........................................................................
25
1.2 Territory and Water
ater................................................................
25
1.3 Brazil: Economic Context of the
Territorial Configuration ....................................................... 26
The State of Biodiversity .................................................................. 32
3. Soil Conditions......................................................................
48
3.1 Patrimony and current ent soil conditions ................................ 48
3.1.1 Soil vulnerability to erosion ................................................. 49
3.1.2 Land potential use.................................................................
50
3.1.3 Land use nowadays ............................................................... 52
3.2 Soil use dynamics ................................................................. 54
3.2.1 Land Tenur
enure e Regime
.............................................................. 54
3.2.2 Land holdings, area and Gross Production Value
............. 55
3.2.3 General Aspects in Land Use Dynamics .............................. 58
3.2.4 Dynamics and Changes in Farming and Cattle Raising
..... 59
3.3 Land Degradation ...................................................................61
3.3.1 Erosion....................................................................................
....................................................................................61
3.3.2 Soil fertility depletion ........................................................... 64
3.3.3 Desertification ....................................................................... 65
3.3.4 Decharacterisation of humid areas......................................
65
3.3.5 Sandification .......................................................................... 66
3.3.6 Salinisation ............................................................................ 66
3.3.7 Land burning ......................................................................... 66
3.3.8 Contamination by urban, industrial and
agrochemical residues .......................................................... 67
State of the Subsoil .......................................................................... 68
4.1 Socio-economic context ....................................................... 69
4.2 Subsoil Degradation ............................................................. 70
4.2.1 Environmental Impact of Mining Activities..........................
70
4.2.2 Environmental Impacts on Undergr
ground Water Resour
esources
74
4.2.3 Environmental Impacts resulting from the Disposal of
Industrial and Domestic Waste
............................................ 75
4.2.4 Spilling of Crude Oil Derivatives..........................................
75
4.2.5 Final Disposal and/or Spilling of Radioactive Products .... 76
4.2.6 Impacts of Industrial Activities ............................................ 77
5. Water Resour
esources
.................................................................... 78
5.1 Superficial Waters
................................................................. 78