mechanisms capable of contributing to the long-term sustainability of coastal and
marine protected areas.
67
While the relevance of such projects should never be underestimated, by virtue of
the concentrated conservation efforts towards those fragile MPAs, it seems also
reasonable to disapprove the Ministry for not having broader programs in place, nor
concerns with the conservation of the Brazilian marine environment from threats
such as pollution from continental shelf activities, dumping of waste and other sorts
of substances on the seafloor, among others. For instance, the Ministry adopted a
national strategy for monitoring Brazilian biomes in 2007, and, worryingly, the
document does not mention the marine biome. Only by late 2018 has a bill for a
national policy for the conservation of the marine biome been proposed before the
Brazilian National Parliament—the PNCMAR, mentioned elsewhere.
To close the cycle of environmental agencies, one must mention the National
Council for the Environment (CONAMA), chaired by the Ministry of Environment.
CONAMA has representatives from ministries, state governments and the Federal
District, municipalities, NGOs and industry, commerce and agriculture class entities.
9.1.3 The Struggle for Coherence in Domestic Ocean
Policy-Making
In light of the plethora of different (although complementing) values, policies,
programs, plans, and actions, several challenges emerge to the Brazilian authorities.
One related to the general coherence of the national ocean management system;
another one connected with the effectiveness of such policies.
Different views can be expressed on the quest for coherence. For Erik Franckx,
for instance, striving for coherence means reducing fragmentation in policy-making,
understood here as the tendency of having different sectors and stakeholders overlap
in domestic ocean decision-making spheres. For that author, coherence would
correspond to “harmonization” between national ocean policies, so that efforts are
not wasted in different directions, when not plainly annulated by conflicting measures. For that, local authorities would be demanded to achieve an “improved
operational process in order to balance sectoral interests and coordinate action and
goals in accordance with sustainability principles”.
68
Even if one would share the underlying concern with coherence expressed by
Franckx, the association built by that author between coherence and unity—or the
fight against fragmentation—stems from a rather idealistic conception. A quick
glimpse at the policies, programs, actions and institutions participating in the
Brazilian ocean governance reveals the complexity of such a process in the historic
67 Information available online at the MMA website: http://www.mma.gov.br/areas-protegidas/
programas-e-projetos/projeto-gef-mar. Accessed 11 April 2020.
68 Franckx (2009), p. 14.
9.1 Marine Environmental Governance in Brazil: Policies and Institutions
265
marine protected areas.
67
While the relevance of such projects should never be underestimated, by virtue of
the concentrated conservation efforts towards those fragile MPAs, it seems also
reasonable to disapprove the Ministry for not having broader programs in place, nor
concerns with the conservation of the Brazilian marine environment from threats
such as pollution from continental shelf activities, dumping of waste and other sorts
of substances on the seafloor, among others. For instance, the Ministry adopted a
national strategy for monitoring Brazilian biomes in 2007, and, worryingly, the
document does not mention the marine biome. Only by late 2018 has a bill for a
national policy for the conservation of the marine biome been proposed before the
Brazilian National Parliament—the PNCMAR, mentioned elsewhere.
To close the cycle of environmental agencies, one must mention the National
Council for the Environment (CONAMA), chaired by the Ministry of Environment.
CONAMA has representatives from ministries, state governments and the Federal
District, municipalities, NGOs and industry, commerce and agriculture class entities.
9.1.3 The Struggle for Coherence in Domestic Ocean
Policy-Making
In light of the plethora of different (although complementing) values, policies,
programs, plans, and actions, several challenges emerge to the Brazilian authorities.
One related to the general coherence of the national ocean management system;
another one connected with the effectiveness of such policies.
Different views can be expressed on the quest for coherence. For Erik Franckx,
for instance, striving for coherence means reducing fragmentation in policy-making,
understood here as the tendency of having different sectors and stakeholders overlap
in domestic ocean decision-making spheres. For that author, coherence would
correspond to “harmonization” between national ocean policies, so that efforts are
not wasted in different directions, when not plainly annulated by conflicting measures. For that, local authorities would be demanded to achieve an “improved
operational process in order to balance sectoral interests and coordinate action and
goals in accordance with sustainability principles”.
68
Even if one would share the underlying concern with coherence expressed by
Franckx, the association built by that author between coherence and unity—or the
fight against fragmentation—stems from a rather idealistic conception. A quick
glimpse at the policies, programs, actions and institutions participating in the
Brazilian ocean governance reveals the complexity of such a process in the historic
67 Information available online at the MMA website: http://www.mma.gov.br/areas-protegidas/
programas-e-projetos/projeto-gef-mar. Accessed 11 April 2020.
68 Franckx (2009), p. 14.
9.1 Marine Environmental Governance in Brazil: Policies and Institutions
265