Proceedings World Bioenergy 2010

The State of São Paulo began to have concerns about
climate change in 1995, when the PROCLIMA program
(Climate Change Prevention Program) was created and
the main contribution of this effort was the collaboration
with the federal government in the preparation of the
National Emissions Inventory (SMA, 2005) [5]; in 2002,
was published the AGENDA 21, in which climate change
figures as a great concern; in the same year the State
government with other regional authorities started the
Network of Regional Governments for Sustainable
Development (NRG4SD), aiming to become a channel to
share climate mitigation and other sustainable
development experiences, and being the main
representative in international negotiations; in 2002 also,
was established a 5-year renewable licensing process for
stationary sources of air pollutants, correcting the
previous “right to pollute” situation of previous
enterprises, demanding a gradual reduction of emissions
in industries, either by technology update or shutting
down facilities, effort expanded in 2004 with the
approval of the Decree 48.523, that regulates the
emissions of NO x, SO 2, PM 10, CO and nonmethane
volatile organic compounds; just before the last COP, in
2009, the government proposed also a 20% reduction on
the greenhouse effect emissions until 2020 (base 2005),
through the magnification of actions to the deforestation
control, creation of an adaptation fund, establishment of a
sustainable transportation system, mapping the
vulnerabilities of the territory and financial mechanisms
to the development of a low carbon economy.
REI and CUNHA (2008: 7) [6] highlights that
even though nation-states may remain reluctant
to assume early climate change mitigation
measures, thus making the international arena a
complex and difficult path for the convergence
of climate-friendly initiatives, there is enough
space for alternative structures and approaches
in both developing and developed countries.
Due to its economic profile (32% of the national
economic productivity), the energy consumption of São
Paulo State is about 27% of the national mix (SMA, 2002
[7]), been the industrial (39%) and transportation (26%)
sectors the main consumers of energy. Although a great
part of energy consumed by the industrial sector are
produced from biomass (44% - been 36% from sugarcane
bagasse), the major part of energy that moves de
transportation sector comes from fossil fuels, mainly
diesel (44%) (BEESP, 2005 [8]). The State participates
with about 25% of Brazil’s total emissions.
The projected Brazilian growth rate for the next years
suggests a high increase on energy demand, thus, the
need to reconsider the expansion model for the energetic
matrix, a key issue regarding actions against climate
change.
5 FINAL CONSIDERATIONS
Managing environmental issues in Brazil should be
considered in national, regional and local scales. In the
context of Brazilian territory, should be respected the
geodynamics of landscapes and ecosystems in the
proposal of candidates for Republic Presidency in 2010,
considering the destructive impact of capitalist economic
production that has occurred throughout the country.
The socio-environmental management should be the
54 world bioenergy 2010
contribution of candidates aiming to propose realistic
alternatives for sustainability.
At regional level, there is need to include in
governance a system for accident prevention and
effective monitoring of environmental conditions in
selected areas.
Locally, within the municipality, it is necessary an
effective participation of the community and the local
authorities in dealing with socio-environmental issues.
A key challenge for proper governance of the
environment to be implemented by the State of São Paulo
is the need to consider global and local environmental
aspects of ethanol production and use as an alternative to
fossil fuels. To ensure the benefits of both global
mitigation and local environmental quality, it is essential
that government incentives a broader discussion and
participation among all sectors and stakeholders,
including the community enrollment.
We can say that, nowadays, the environmental issue
is at the center of global and national policy and thus, it is
becoming a recurrent theme on the media agenda, and so,
on the presidency candidates as well and overlaps others
as it puts into discussion the model of civilization
predatory consumerism grounded by the reproduction of
capital. This discussion should promote extensive debates
throughout the country that may lead to global climate
change effective combat and managing social and
environmental risks in the Brazilian territory.
The use of the mass media as tool to drive the change
in the patterns of social consumption and relationship
with the environment is an expedient yet completely
underused by governments around the globe.
As conclusion of this paper, we highlight the lack of
synchronism between the emergency in political speeches
and the chronogram for public policies enforcement
under national, state and municipal levels. It is necessary
the creation of a social consciousness that emphasizes the
need of personal engagement in combat of environmental
degradation inside the communities, through the
development of action projects as: solid residues
recycling, environmental education, communal garden
development, reforestation, riparian vegetation, among
others. There cannot be any change in the society without
the mobilization of the society itself.
6 BIBLIOGRAPHY
[1] BOYKOFF, M. T. From Convergence to Contention:
United States Mass Media Representations of
Anthropogenic Climate Change Science.
Transactions of the Institute of British
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[2] MCBEAN, G. A.; HENGEVELD, H. G.
Communicating the Science of Climate Change: A
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Canadian Journal of Environmental Education.
Vol. 5, pp. 9-23, 2000.
[3] ANDI - Agência de Notícias dos Direitos da Infância.
Mudanças Climáticas na Mídia Brazileira. ANDI,
2009.
[4] EGLER, Cláudio Antônio G. Risco ambiental como
critério de gestão do território: uma aplicação à zona
costeira brasileira. Território. LAGET, UFRJ - Vol.