Compensar perdas de biodiversidade com efetividade à escala da paisagem: por que, onde e como compensar na Mata Atlântica, MG?

Abstract

Environmental compensation (EC) is well beyond a technical-juridical instrument that aims to compensate the whole society for the loss of environmental assets because of its use. Environmental licensing is how environmental bodies define, analyze, and deliberate on the application of EC to safeguard the public interest. Here we explore why, where, and how to compensate with effectiveness in the context of Atlantic forests in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. We use semi structured interviews, content analysis, spatially explicit modelling, landscape metrics and econometric analysis for exploring avenues for effectively implementing EC in the context of the global south. Our results show that in Brazil, although EC is seen as an instrument of immense importance for conservation, it has not yet shown its full potential. Compensation, in most cases, has been used as a simple fulfillment of legal obligations and, in general, institutions lack integrated planning tools for effectively including EC into the whole landscape management. We estimate that there are 20,141,082 ha of areas where EC can effectively enhance landscape fragility. We suggest targeted mechanisms likely to succeed in watersheds of contrasting socio ecological contexts Environmental compensation is, indeed, an environmental instrument of great importance. However, it needs to be better understood and managed.