GEO Brasil - UNEP

c) policies or actions that are not necessarily implemented
by means of projects, but may have significant
environmental impacts (e.g. incentive or credit policies)
(Egler, P. C. G. 2002). Thus, the treatment of biomes is a
breakthrough in the Brazilian institutional framework,
considering both the integrative capacity and the
potential for the promotion of sustainable
development.
The new model of regional development management,
based upon Agencies such as the Amazonian Development
Agency (ADA – Agência de Desenvolvimento da Amazônia)
and the Northeast Development Agency (ADENE – Agência
de Desenvolvimento do Nordeste), has not yet effectively
demonstrated whether it is a feasible institutional alternative
in terms of the reduction in the State’s fiscal and financial
capacity. This is true despite the fact that it seeks improved
flexibility and autonomy in the use of public funds.
There are at least two challenges to an environmental
strategy aimed at sustainable development. The first refers
to interagency co-operation and their respective capacities
to create investment opportunities for attracting private
funds, so as to comply with sustainable principles. It is
time for society to demand more of governmental agencies
but these agencies do not have the necessary allocation of
human and financial resources or infrastructure. A
combination of responsibilities and resources is required
to enhance the agencies’ capacities to respond as expected.
The second challenge relates to the participation of wider
sectors of civil society in decision-making and to the
composition of forums that allow discussions among
different sectors. Hence, some measures can be proposed:
a) Change the hierarchical and sectorial organisation to
the benefit of acting in line with objectives of
environmental quality that favour an improved
management of shared resources;
b) Co-ordinate sector programmes with the proposal for
sustainable development;
c) Strengthen the mechanisms for negotiated decisions
and joint actions (obligation) of managers and social
participants with diverse interests;
d) Establish and maintain an information system that is
able to impede situations of inverted risk, i.e. situations
in which each participant’s perception is that the use
of criteria (or indicators) scientifically (or not)
formulated is of higher priority than environmental
risks.
Concerning the different sectors at issue, some measures
need to be more focused, for example:
a) Fishery handling of the main species captured;
b) Introduction of Conservation Units, predominantly per
island and surrounding area, mangroves, estuaries and
other regions of proven ecological value, which restrict
the use of such areas;
c) Creation of Extractivist Reserves;
d) Introduction of management councils for sustainable
use within the Conservation Units;
e) Definition of long term actions for the conservation of
biodiversity, complying with the priority areas and
conservation strategies established, which are
provided for in the National Biodiversity Programme
(PRONABIO – Programa Nacional de Biodiversidade);
f) Strengthen the institutional framework for patents to
undertake advanced research;
g) Training in human resources for the elaboration of
projects and integrated management of solid residues,
environmental sanitation, land use and public urban
transportation.
The logical Impact-Response framework (Chart 2 – Desired
Scenario) presented hereinafter considers the group of
sectorial measures already adopted as well as those that
are deemed imperative for strategic environmental
management. Sectorial policies would entail a change in
the pace and intensity of the deterioration of different
biomes, as long as they are transversally co-ordinated and
combined into more representative categories related to
differentiation within and between biomes. The time
required for changes to occur varies. Some impacts can be
reversed in a short period of time, while others demand
much more time. Thus, within a 15-year time frame some
impacts could already have stopped changing the state of
the environment, whereas some effects brought about by
mitigation measures adopted today would be just starting
to be noticed.
Urban-industrial areas would still be under pressure
regarding water supply as a result of the time necessary for
the recovery of sources that supply cities with water, mostly
environmental management
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