Políticas públicas ambientais do município de Flor da Serra do Sul/PR de 1993 a 2020

Abstract

Amind the current environmental crisis, intensified by Modernity and Globalization, environmental policies have emerged as crucial tools for the controlling, restoriong, and integrating of natural, cultural, and social dimensions. In the state of Paraná, the Tax on the Circulation of Goods and Services aimed at watersheds for conservation for public supply and biodiversity (ICMS Ecológico) has stood out as a financial instrument that incentivizes municipalities with environmental restrictions to promote sustainability. This study investigated the environmental public policies of the municipality of Flor da Serra do Sul, Paraná, from 1993 to 2020, focusing on environmental preservation and conservation supported by Environmental Education. The main objective was to assess the prevailing institutional arrangements, the programs implemented, and the local population’s perception of the adopted initiatives, proposing guidelines for more effective and sustainable policies based on Environmental Education. A qualitative approach was adopted, with data collected through document analysis; interviews with municipal managers and technical staff; questionnaires administered to the population; and analysis of Ecológico ICMS data. The results demonstrated that Ecológico ICMS funds were essential for actions such as reforestation, watershed protection, basic sanitation, and Environmental Education programs. However, structural and operational limitations—such as high staff turnover, lack of technical and financial resources, and low community participation—undermined the continuity and effectiveness of the initiatives. Additional significant challenges included the disconnect between different governance levels and the absence of strategic monitoring. Among the outcomes of the thesis are: the systematization of the environmental policies implemented in the municipality, providing an integrated and structured overview of the actions undertaken since its founding; the identification of the importance of interinstitutional partnerships and Environmental Education as strategic policies for strengthening environmental conservation and preservation efforts; and the development of a proposal for a municipal environmental policy based on the enhancement of Environmental Education, aiming to foster greater community engagement and ensure the sustainability of actions. The study concludes that the effectiveness of environmental policies depends on the articulation between the state and civil society, as well as on the institutionalization of partnerships and cooperation arrangements that ensure the long-term sustainability of actions. This research is linked to the Analysis and Environmental Education in Southwestern Paraná group, within the Education and Geography Teaching research line of the Graduate Program at the Western Paraná State University. It directly contributes to advancement of Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG 4), which advocates for quality education, by promoting Environmental Education as a central process for raising awareness and fostering community engagement through an integrated and participatory model of environmental governance. This model contributes to local development and encourages reflection on the challenges and potential of environmental management in small municipalities in the Southwestern mesoregion of Paraná and other regions of the country.