Government wants to revoke regulations that protect mangrove areas and subtractions – Época Negócios

THE Ministry of Environment It is about to revoke a set of resolutions that today delimit the permanent protection areas (APP) for mangroves and other areas on the Brazilian coast. The repeal of these rules opens space for real estate speculation in the vegetation bands of the beaches and the occupation of mangrove areas for shrimp production.

The issues are on the agenda of the meeting of the National Environmental Council (Conama), which is chaired by the Minister of the Environment, Ricardo Salles. This council, which plays a fundamental role in the definition of norms and criteria in the environmental area, had its structure modified by Salles in June of last year and, with it, the collegiate decision-making power remained in the hands of the federal government.

At the Conama meeting on Monday 28, the government intends to repeal two resolutions (302 and 303, of 2002) that, today, are the instruments for the protection of mangroves and sandy areas, the bands with vegetation that are commonly found in the dune areas, on northeast beaches.

The government’s argument is that these resolutions were covered by laws that came later, such as the Forest Code. Environmental experts say, however, that these resolutions still apply today, because they are the only legal instruments that effectively protect these areas.

“There is no other Brazilian regulation that confirms the protection of residences like these Conama resolutions, which continue to define limits until today. The reality is that there is a large lobby of spas and shrimp farms in the Northeast, who want to enter these areas” says Carlos Bocuhy, president of the Brazilian Institute for Environmental Protection (Proam).

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In August, for example, in São Paulo, the São Paulo State Environmental Company (Cetesb) lost a lawsuit and was forced, by means of a judgment, to respect the limits set forth in the 2002 resolution, “to avoid the occurrence of damage irreparable to the community and the environment. “

Another resolution that is on Conama’s agenda (284/2001) puts an end to the criteria of federal regulations for the environmental license of irrigation projects. In the opinion of environmentalists, the purpose of the revocation is to end legal requirements at the request of agribusiness.

The National Agricultural Confederation (CNA) defends the end of the resolution, arguing that “there is no technical / legal basis for the promulgation of this resolution, since irrigation is not an establishment or activity, but only a technology used by agriculture to supply water to plants in sufficient quantity and at the right time “.

Conama’s agenda for this Monday 28th also includes the proposal for a new resolution that addresses the criteria for incinerating waste in cement production furnaces, to free up the burning of pesticide residues. Today, this material goes through a detailed treatment and disposal process. However, the new resolution now allows everything to be incinerated.

However, there is concern with the material released into the atmosphere after this burning. “Everything was based on an urgency. What is the urgency of making such important decisions in such a short time and without these issues being subjected to studies, technical chambers? All these resolutions deserve an in-depth discussion”, says Carlos Bocuhy, president of the Proam.

Minister Ricardo Salles was approached by the Status and, when consulted on the subject, he affirmed that “Conama’s agendas will be debated and all councilors will have the opportunity to express their positions.” For the former president of Ibama Suely Araújo, senior specialist in public policy at the Climate Observatory, these are serious decisions that could seriously weaken environmental protection.

“The dismantling promoted by the Bolsonaro government in environmental policy hit Conama hard, which unfortunately seems to be reduced to a field of flexible rules, of passing the cattle. The agenda of this meeting is strong evidence in this regard: repeal of resolutions that have permanent license areas for conservation and irrigation, without the prior public debate that marked the City Council’s processes, ”says Suely.

The specialist also draws attention to the proposal to approve a resolution that opens the flexibility of the concentration of organic pollutants through incineration. “This is totally unacceptable, it’s scary.”

The body underwent changes and lost representatives of states and civil entities in July. Conama -which is an advisory body with the power to define standards and criteria in the environmental area- dehydrated in July of last year in relation to its previous structure, concentrating the majority of votes in the hands of the federal government and representatives of the productive sector. . States and civil entities have lost representation. By decision of Salles, Conama reduced its members from 96 to 23 representatives.

The previous composition of the body was intended to give greater representation to various segments of society. A part of the members of the society was chosen by nomination and another by election. Since last year, however, this choice has been made by lottery. Institutions representing civil society, including rural workers’ associations and indigenous peoples, have seen their positions drop from 23 to 4. States have also lost representation. If before there was a chair for each of the 26 states and the Federal District, now there are 5 chairs represented by a state from each geographic region of the country. The municipalities, which had 8 representatives, now have 2.