The regulation of Strategic Environmental Assessment in Brazil

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DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18472/SustDeb.v13n1.2022.40630

Abstract

The practice of Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) has been expanding worldwide, aiming to include environmental issues within strategic planning. However, there is no precise regulation of SEA application in Brazil, and this practice is not systematic. In this context, this paper aimed to evaluate proposals for regulating SEA in Brazil regarding the elements of a SEA system. Documented proposals were identified through literature reviews, and the identified 14 documents’ content was analysed according to best practice criteria. Gaps were identified in all proposals, and none of the proposals met all the criteria applied in this research. The definition of objectives and SEA field of application was the criteria best reached (present in more than 70% of the documents). However, most of the proposals were limited only to these points, missing other essential elements of a SEA system. These results indicate a low institutional maturity concerning SEA in Brazil.

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Author Biographies

Rosane de Souza Oliveira, Master’s Degree in Environmental Quality, Environmental Engineer, Federal University of Uberlândia, Uberlândia, MG, Brazil

Graduated in Biological Sciences from the Universidade Federal de Uberlândia (UFU)/MG, specialist in Environmental Management from the Faculdade Católica de Uberlândia, Master in Environmental Quality from UFU/MG, Graduatedin Environmental Engineering from UFU. I was part of the teams of the Sustainability Board at UFU, participating in projects related to sustainable logistics, SDGs Universities Network, A3P and environmental education and the company Landscape Ambiental as an analyst, monitoring licensing processes and environmental constraints and developing socio-environmental projects.

Anne Caroline Malvestio, PhD in Environmental Engineering Sciences, Professor at Federal University of Uberlândia, Uberlândia, MG, Brazil

Professor at the Federal University of Uberlândia (UFU), researching Environmental Impact Assessment and Environmental policy instruments. She is graduated in Environmental Engineering from the School of Engineering of São Carlos, University of São Paulo (EESC/USP) and holds a Master degree and PhD in Environmental Engineering Sciences from EESC/USP. She was a visiting researcher at University Nova de Lisboa (Portugal) and University of Liverpool (United Kingdom), researching Strategic Environmental Assessment.

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Published

2022-04-29 — Updated on 2022-04-29

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How to Cite

Oliveira, R. de S., & Malvestio, A. C. (2022). The regulation of Strategic Environmental Assessment in Brazil. Sustainability in Debate, 13(1), 90. https://doi.org/10.18472/SustDeb.v13n1.2022.40630

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Vol. 13 No. 1 (2022): Sustainability in Debate / Sustentabilidade em Debate

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