truly impressive service sheet, seeking to fill the institutional vacuum in the Brazilian
maritime space—an ambition it achieves to a large extent.
59
Another key institutional actor in the management of the Brazilian maritime
spaces is the Brazilian Navy, who holds a tradition not only of defending, but also
managing the areas under Brazilian national jurisdiction.
60 The first Minister of the
Navy and Overseas Domains was appointed in 1808, upon arrival of the Portuguese
crown in Brazil, escaping the Napoleonic conquer of the Iberian Peninsula that same
year. Since those times, the Navy has had its headquarters in Rio de Janeiro, where
the core of the Brazilian fleet is located.
In its vision of the future, the Brazilian Navy strives to be a modern and balanced
force, equipped with adequate means for the political-strategic insertion of Brazil in
the international scenario. Thus, the marine force should be permanently ready to act
both offshore and within internal waters, singularly or jointly, in order to fulfill its
constitutional purposes.
61 Interestingly, fundamental tensions arise within the Navy
with respect to the balance between sovereignty considerations and environment
conservation goals.
62 Despite the Navy’s awareness of its broader institutional role
of not only shielding Brazilian waters and mainland, but also caring for the conservation of the marine environment, the latter is not the Navy’s primary role, nor
concern. Enforcement of marine environment-related regulations falls under the
responsibilities of the Brazilian Environmental Institute, IBAMA, a situation
which could potentially trigger institutional conflicts between both, due to the
overlap of tasks, and makes one wonder whether a shared prominence between
these two institutions exists.
The Brazilian Institute for the Environment and Renewable Natural Resources
(IBAMA) is a federal entity endowed with legal personality, administrative and
financial autonomy and linked to the Ministry for the Environment.
63 The Institute
has the power of environmental police within Brazil’s jurisdiction and is charged
with (i) carrying out actions of the national environmental policies related to
environmental licensing, environmental quality control, authorization of the use of
natural resources and environmental monitoring and control, observing the guidelines issued by the Ministry for the Environment; and (ii) conducting supplementary
actions of the competence of the Union, in accordance with the domestic environmental legislation.
64 Such responsibilities are aimed at several strategical objectives,
Sports; Ministry of Tourism; Ministry of National Integration; Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture; and, finally, the Secretariat of Ports of the Presidency of the Republic.
59 For more on the services and achievements of the CIRM, see Soares (2014), p. 302.
60 That is the essence of the Brazilian Navy’s official slogan, which goes: “protecting our riches;
caring for our people”.
61 The announced “vision” and “mission” of the Brazilian Navy is to be consulted online, at: https://
www.marinha.mil.br/content/missao-e-visao-de-futuro-da-marinha. Accessed 11 April 2020.
62 For more info on this tension, refer to Chap. 6, on the false dichotomy between marine security
and marine conservation initiatives.
63 IBAMA was created by the Act no. 7.735/1989.
64 Art. 5, Act no. 7.735/1989.
9.1 Marine Environmental Governance in Brazil: Policies and Institutions
263
maritime space—an ambition it achieves to a large extent.
59
Another key institutional actor in the management of the Brazilian maritime
spaces is the Brazilian Navy, who holds a tradition not only of defending, but also
managing the areas under Brazilian national jurisdiction.
60 The first Minister of the
Navy and Overseas Domains was appointed in 1808, upon arrival of the Portuguese
crown in Brazil, escaping the Napoleonic conquer of the Iberian Peninsula that same
year. Since those times, the Navy has had its headquarters in Rio de Janeiro, where
the core of the Brazilian fleet is located.
In its vision of the future, the Brazilian Navy strives to be a modern and balanced
force, equipped with adequate means for the political-strategic insertion of Brazil in
the international scenario. Thus, the marine force should be permanently ready to act
both offshore and within internal waters, singularly or jointly, in order to fulfill its
constitutional purposes.
61 Interestingly, fundamental tensions arise within the Navy
with respect to the balance between sovereignty considerations and environment
conservation goals.
62 Despite the Navy’s awareness of its broader institutional role
of not only shielding Brazilian waters and mainland, but also caring for the conservation of the marine environment, the latter is not the Navy’s primary role, nor
concern. Enforcement of marine environment-related regulations falls under the
responsibilities of the Brazilian Environmental Institute, IBAMA, a situation
which could potentially trigger institutional conflicts between both, due to the
overlap of tasks, and makes one wonder whether a shared prominence between
these two institutions exists.
The Brazilian Institute for the Environment and Renewable Natural Resources
(IBAMA) is a federal entity endowed with legal personality, administrative and
financial autonomy and linked to the Ministry for the Environment.
63 The Institute
has the power of environmental police within Brazil’s jurisdiction and is charged
with (i) carrying out actions of the national environmental policies related to
environmental licensing, environmental quality control, authorization of the use of
natural resources and environmental monitoring and control, observing the guidelines issued by the Ministry for the Environment; and (ii) conducting supplementary
actions of the competence of the Union, in accordance with the domestic environmental legislation.
64 Such responsibilities are aimed at several strategical objectives,
Sports; Ministry of Tourism; Ministry of National Integration; Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture; and, finally, the Secretariat of Ports of the Presidency of the Republic.
59 For more on the services and achievements of the CIRM, see Soares (2014), p. 302.
60 That is the essence of the Brazilian Navy’s official slogan, which goes: “protecting our riches;
caring for our people”.
61 The announced “vision” and “mission” of the Brazilian Navy is to be consulted online, at: https://
www.marinha.mil.br/content/missao-e-visao-de-futuro-da-marinha. Accessed 11 April 2020.
62 For more info on this tension, refer to Chap. 6, on the false dichotomy between marine security
and marine conservation initiatives.
63 IBAMA was created by the Act no. 7.735/1989.
64 Art. 5, Act no. 7.735/1989.
9.1 Marine Environmental Governance in Brazil: Policies and Institutions
263