Setting out the political agenda consists of picking the societal problems to be
tackled, a practice embedded in tension between political actors, social networks,
pressure groups and their respective power to influence the selection of those
problems. In Brazil, after consultations with civil society groups at large and political
articulations within the Parliament, public policies are enacted by a national law.
Socially shared values and strategic governmental interests inform public policies,
which are usually specified into more concrete “plans” or “programs”, each accommodating detailed measures to be taken by public authorities, in order to achieve
specific objectives. For that reason, broader policies related to the marine environment are analyzed first, to then examine the concrete plans and actions adopted to
implement the terms of the wider policies. Finally, this part scrutinizes the main
institutional actors which participate both in setting the marine environmental
agenda and in enforcing the policies, plans and actions on that regard.
When it comes to managing the marine environment, the Brazilian domestic
network of policies is not particularly straightforward. To the contrary, the country
has crafted a complex network of different governmental policies, plans, programs,
and actions connected to different activities, maritime zones, and objectives. Despite
such a complexity, the individual elements of that network can be said to complement themselves and to cover, in a fairly decent manner, the most relevant aspects of
marine environmental governance.
34 Three chief national policies inform the management—in the sense of conservation and exploitation—of the Brazilian seas and
marine resources: the 1994 National Maritime Policy, the 1981 National Environmental Policy, and the 1980 National Policy for Marine Resources. Note that the
policies are not listed in a chronological order, but on an order of increasing
administrative relevance for the purpose of ocean governance. Those three documents are at the origin of pluriannual plans of action and programs, the ensemble of
which conforming what could be labelled a “Brazilian ocean strategy”.
9.1.1 National Marine Environmental Policies
at the Federal Level
The 1994 National Maritime Policy (PMN) followed UNCLOS’ footprint, which
had just entered into force, and included key objectives into a strategy aimed at the
integrated management of Brazilian maritime areas and activities.
35 For the purposes
34 One possible parameter for such “relevancy” are the annual reports drafted by UN DOALOS, in
which debates on up-to-date marine issues are brought to the forefront of appreciation by the
international community. The last report dates from September 2019 (A/79/250) and handles issues
related to the human dimension of oceans (migration by sea and labor at sea), whereas the 2018
Report dealt closely with underwater noise and its implications to marine life. The ultimate goal
being that of implementing Sustainable Development Goal 14 of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable
Development and its 10 targets.
35 Instituted by Decree no. 1.265/1994.
9.1 Marine Environmental Governance in Brazil: Policies and Institutions
255
tackled, a practice embedded in tension between political actors, social networks,
pressure groups and their respective power to influence the selection of those
problems. In Brazil, after consultations with civil society groups at large and political
articulations within the Parliament, public policies are enacted by a national law.
Socially shared values and strategic governmental interests inform public policies,
which are usually specified into more concrete “plans” or “programs”, each accommodating detailed measures to be taken by public authorities, in order to achieve
specific objectives. For that reason, broader policies related to the marine environment are analyzed first, to then examine the concrete plans and actions adopted to
implement the terms of the wider policies. Finally, this part scrutinizes the main
institutional actors which participate both in setting the marine environmental
agenda and in enforcing the policies, plans and actions on that regard.
When it comes to managing the marine environment, the Brazilian domestic
network of policies is not particularly straightforward. To the contrary, the country
has crafted a complex network of different governmental policies, plans, programs,
and actions connected to different activities, maritime zones, and objectives. Despite
such a complexity, the individual elements of that network can be said to complement themselves and to cover, in a fairly decent manner, the most relevant aspects of
marine environmental governance.
34 Three chief national policies inform the management—in the sense of conservation and exploitation—of the Brazilian seas and
marine resources: the 1994 National Maritime Policy, the 1981 National Environmental Policy, and the 1980 National Policy for Marine Resources. Note that the
policies are not listed in a chronological order, but on an order of increasing
administrative relevance for the purpose of ocean governance. Those three documents are at the origin of pluriannual plans of action and programs, the ensemble of
which conforming what could be labelled a “Brazilian ocean strategy”.
9.1.1 National Marine Environmental Policies
at the Federal Level
The 1994 National Maritime Policy (PMN) followed UNCLOS’ footprint, which
had just entered into force, and included key objectives into a strategy aimed at the
integrated management of Brazilian maritime areas and activities.
35 For the purposes
34 One possible parameter for such “relevancy” are the annual reports drafted by UN DOALOS, in
which debates on up-to-date marine issues are brought to the forefront of appreciation by the
international community. The last report dates from September 2019 (A/79/250) and handles issues
related to the human dimension of oceans (migration by sea and labor at sea), whereas the 2018
Report dealt closely with underwater noise and its implications to marine life. The ultimate goal
being that of implementing Sustainable Development Goal 14 of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable
Development and its 10 targets.
35 Instituted by Decree no. 1.265/1994.
9.1 Marine Environmental Governance in Brazil: Policies and Institutions
255