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In this sense we have seen the rising of the industrial clusters
system. Today, the Belo Horizonte metropolitan area is the
largest Latin America biotechnological centre. In the south
of the State of Minas Gerais electric-electronic important
industrial centres are being developed, such as in Santa
Rita do Sapucaí. In the “mineiro” triangle, Uberaba and
Uberlândia are outstanding because of their agro-industrial
complex. The Minas Gerais state organization relied for many
years on the balance between the forces historically
exercised by the central region and the forces which enabled
the state’s opening to the remainder of the Brazilian regions.
However, a trend to spread out is quite noticeable as we
observe the South being integrated in the dynamics of the
Rio-São Paulo axis. The “mineiro” Triangle is absorbed by
the dynamics from São Paulo. The Northwest turns itself
to Brasilia. The North and Northeast regions are the only
ones which actually remained linked due to their economic
dependence on the central region.
3.2. Public Participation in Environmental
Management
The new view of public policy that has been incorporated in
Brazil is a very relevant aspect of the change in the course of
environmental management in the country. This new view
is based on decentralisation of responsibilities and
procedures and also on solidarity in enterprising practices.
These practices are still in their beginning stages, but are
being stimulated.
Advances in environmental management in the country
have also been made in terms of the participation of social
sectors, particularly in urban areas, through committees,
co-operatives and community councils. The following
subjects have brought these movements together: water
resources, solid residues and environmental protection
areas. Water basin committees unite distinct social
participants and lead to the expansion from a local to a
super-local scale. These committees also lead to the
management of multiple interests regarding the use of water.
Participation initiatives have reached significant levels with
the population and have been recognised by public
agencies. This takes place through consultation on
management processes or when construction work is being
carried out. These are processes that require constant
improvement.
The natural resource and ecosystem management boards
are normally based on parity. They make room for the
incorporation of the contributions made by the community
in several ways. Public-private partnerships are included
and have made the improvement and conservation of
natural and cultural heritage possible.
3.2.1. Environmental Education and Training
In the first place, Brazilian priorities in this area were based
on the formation of critical masses in order to make the
subject a part of the educational system and to implement
Environmental Education programmes on a large scale.
In 1977 the environment theme was first included in basic
and secondary education curricula all over the country. From
then on, Environmental Education became increasingly
important in the school system and communication media,
and it gained a place in training programmes at universities
and research centres.
In 1999 the curriculum was reinforced with the creation of
the Policy and the National Environmental Education
programme, carried out by the Ministry of the Environment
and guided basically toward non-formal education. Its
purpose, among other functions, was to create
environmental education centres in the country aimed at
disseminating “good practices” and making the participation
of society in environmental management even greater.
In this sense, the National Policy on Water Resources (Law
9433 of 1998) has already become a milestone in the
construction of a new code of ethics in the traditional
relationship among the State, society and the nation’s
territory. Its effects and impact on the regulation of other
user sectors, not only waters but also, for obvious reasons,
soil as well, are still in a beginning phase. The same can be
expected regarding the enforcement of Law 9985 of 2000,
which established the National System of Conservation
Units and brings innovations to the pre-existing
arrangements regarding the management of the territory.
(CIORD/UnB 2001).
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