Brazilian immense shore as a response to demands from environmental pressure
groups. Yet, such domestic attempts at regulating marine mining activities via
designation of MPAs may have, according to industry representatives, an undesirable side. The creation of marine protected areas without the confirmation of the
environmental relevance of those areas and the abundance of mineral and energy
resources with viable exploration, has blocked the consolidation of the marine
mineral sector in Brazil, thus scaring investors off.
150
The cause for such a backlash is that knowledge of the Brazilian continental shelf,
even in shallow waters, is still embryonic, except for a few isolated areas. Only a
thorough morpho-sedimentary survey of the seabed in detailed scale could generate
basic knowledge that would enable the demarcation of the areas of relevant environmental interest, without over-dimensioning concrete problems. Such knowledge
could also prevent the designation of MPAs with areas much larger than the actual
needs to protect a given marine resources or ecosystem, often making it unfeasible to
access marine natural resources at all. In this sense, Brazil ought to invest more in
marine scientific research, so as to map out the environmental particularities and
needs of its seafloor and deep-sea ecosystems, and perhaps render the environmental
licensing procedure before domestic environmental agencies less problematic.
Marine scientific research is precisely the focus of the next item.
10.2.5 Researching on the Brazilian Continental Shelf
Not long ago, Brazil signaled that it would commit itself to enhancing marine
research and knowledge of the country’s maritime spaces. It was so in 2015, upon
the purchase of the state-of-the-art oceanographic R/V Vital de Oliveira.
151 Another
illustration was the accomplishment in 2009 of the First Brazilian Trans-Atlantic
Oceanographic Commission by the R/V Cruzeiro do Sul. Back at the day, Brazil
advocated increased horizontal cooperation in the South Atlantic Ocean through
workshops, which outlined bilateral action plans and joint research projects.
150 Cavalcanti (2011), p. 63.
151 With 78 m of length, accommodation for 140 people, including up to 50 researchers, technicians
and students, and autonomy of 60 days at sea, the vessel is one of the largest scientific research
vessels in the history of Brazil. It results from a public-private partnership between the Brazilian
Ministry for Science, Technology and Industry (MCTI), the Navy, as well as the corporations Vale
S.A and Petrobras, and was built in China for R$ 162 million (approximately US$ 41 million, as of
August 2018). Apart from the R/V Vital de Oliveira, Brazil has other oceanographic R/Vs, such as
the Alpha Crucis, Alpha Delphini, and Wladimir Bernard, operated by the Oceanographic Institute
of the University of São Paulo; the R/V Atlántico Sul, operated by the Federal University of Rio
Grande do Sul; and the R/V Ary Rongel, R/V Cruzeiro do Sul, and the Polar Vessel Malmirante
Maximiliano, what suggests a certain attention to the issue of conducting MSR and perfecting
knowledge about the Brazilian maritime space. Of those, the R/V Alpha Delphini is destined to
mapping out the continental shelf off the São Paulo coast, where the sedimentary basins lodging the
pre-salt oil reserves are. See CEMBRA Newsletter, 2015, Ano 1, n. 2, at 3. Available online.
10.2 How Far Has Brazil Gone?
343
groups. Yet, such domestic attempts at regulating marine mining activities via
designation of MPAs may have, according to industry representatives, an undesirable side. The creation of marine protected areas without the confirmation of the
environmental relevance of those areas and the abundance of mineral and energy
resources with viable exploration, has blocked the consolidation of the marine
mineral sector in Brazil, thus scaring investors off.
150
The cause for such a backlash is that knowledge of the Brazilian continental shelf,
even in shallow waters, is still embryonic, except for a few isolated areas. Only a
thorough morpho-sedimentary survey of the seabed in detailed scale could generate
basic knowledge that would enable the demarcation of the areas of relevant environmental interest, without over-dimensioning concrete problems. Such knowledge
could also prevent the designation of MPAs with areas much larger than the actual
needs to protect a given marine resources or ecosystem, often making it unfeasible to
access marine natural resources at all. In this sense, Brazil ought to invest more in
marine scientific research, so as to map out the environmental particularities and
needs of its seafloor and deep-sea ecosystems, and perhaps render the environmental
licensing procedure before domestic environmental agencies less problematic.
Marine scientific research is precisely the focus of the next item.
10.2.5 Researching on the Brazilian Continental Shelf
Not long ago, Brazil signaled that it would commit itself to enhancing marine
research and knowledge of the country’s maritime spaces. It was so in 2015, upon
the purchase of the state-of-the-art oceanographic R/V Vital de Oliveira.
151 Another
illustration was the accomplishment in 2009 of the First Brazilian Trans-Atlantic
Oceanographic Commission by the R/V Cruzeiro do Sul. Back at the day, Brazil
advocated increased horizontal cooperation in the South Atlantic Ocean through
workshops, which outlined bilateral action plans and joint research projects.
150 Cavalcanti (2011), p. 63.
151 With 78 m of length, accommodation for 140 people, including up to 50 researchers, technicians
and students, and autonomy of 60 days at sea, the vessel is one of the largest scientific research
vessels in the history of Brazil. It results from a public-private partnership between the Brazilian
Ministry for Science, Technology and Industry (MCTI), the Navy, as well as the corporations Vale
S.A and Petrobras, and was built in China for R$ 162 million (approximately US$ 41 million, as of
August 2018). Apart from the R/V Vital de Oliveira, Brazil has other oceanographic R/Vs, such as
the Alpha Crucis, Alpha Delphini, and Wladimir Bernard, operated by the Oceanographic Institute
of the University of São Paulo; the R/V Atlántico Sul, operated by the Federal University of Rio
Grande do Sul; and the R/V Ary Rongel, R/V Cruzeiro do Sul, and the Polar Vessel Malmirante
Maximiliano, what suggests a certain attention to the issue of conducting MSR and perfecting
knowledge about the Brazilian maritime space. Of those, the R/V Alpha Delphini is destined to
mapping out the continental shelf off the São Paulo coast, where the sedimentary basins lodging the
pre-salt oil reserves are. See CEMBRA Newsletter, 2015, Ano 1, n. 2, at 3. Available online.
10.2 How Far Has Brazil Gone?
343