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Loading ...Improving State-Level Environmental Governance in Brazil / Melhorar Gestão Ambiental Estadual no Brasil
Friday, September 25th, 2009Temas Observation: Note how this loan/project is being marketed. The headline trumpets “green growth” when in reality the program is more about strengthening environmental governance/institutions, arguably not as sexy a topic. The Bank argues that this is about ensuring economic growth is as green as possible through good regulation by competent, properly-equipped environmental regulators…seems like […]
Rio Adopts Environmental Registry and Inspection Tax
Sunday, April 19th, 2009Rio de Janeiro just became the latest Brazilian state to adopt a state-level version of the Federal Technical Registry (CTF) and Environmental Control and Inspection Tax (TCFA). The CTF was created by law in 2000 as a federal registry of industries and activities that the national environment authority, IBAMA, deems likely to produce pollution, and […]
Pesticide Residue Levels in Brazilian Food
Wednesday, April 15th, 2009Which fresh food sold in Brazil has been found most likely to present “irregular” pesticide residues — levels higher than those permitted by regulation, or even residues of pesticides banned or not authorized for use on the foodstuff it is found on? Peppers. In 2008 more than 64% of the pepper samples analyzed by the […]
Brazil Increases Pesticide Packaging Take-Back
Saturday, March 28th, 2009I’ve posted before on The Temas Blog (here, here and here) about Brazil’s amazingly successful program at recovering used pesticide packaging, which is achieving recovery rates higher than in many OECD nations. Well folks, Brazil continues to improve on this front: the National Institute for Processing Empty Packaging (inpEV), the industry-appointed group solely in charge […]
Justice Ministry to Service Firms: Improve Customer Service, or Else
Tuesday, February 3rd, 2009Regulated service sectors are not complying with Brazil’s new rules on customer service, despite being given a (brief) grace period in order to bring their operations into line. So declared the Justice Ministry’s (MJ) Department of Protection of Consumer Rights (DPDC), which is now handing out fines, naming names, scrutinizing practices and issuing warnings. The […]
A Symbolic Ban of Asbestos
Thursday, January 29th, 2009Brazil’s Environment Minister, Carlos Minc, just banned asbestos. Well, not quite. He announced at the World Social Forum that has banned, through an administrative rule (portaria), the use of any product containing asbesto fibers in construction or goods acquired by the Environment Ministry (MMA) and its associated organs: the national environment agency, IBAMA, the Chico […]
Brazilian States Publicize Consumer Complaints
Tuesday, October 7th, 2008In September the 21 Brazilian state consumer agencies (known in Brazil as “Procons”) belonging to the National System of Consumer Defense Information (Sistema Nacional de Informações de Defesa do Consumidor – SINDEC) opened (mostly on the internet) their registries of consumer complaints, including their rankings of which firms were the subject of the greatest number […]
Promoting Tourism in Brazil’s National Parks
Tuesday, September 9th, 2008Synopsis in English: Environment Minister Carlos Minc recently announced a package of R$50 million to stimulate ecotourism in six federal conservation units (unidades de conservação federais – UCFs) with a view to investing in infrastructure (primarily visitor centers, belvederes and guided trails) and contracting concessions for visitors services (restaurants, guides, etc.). Adventure tourism will also […]
CNPq vai investir R$ 22 milhões em biodiesel / CNPq to Invest R$22 Million in Biodiesel Production Research
Tuesday, September 9th, 2008Brazil’s National Council on Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq) has announced that it will invest R$22 million to stimulate research into improving biodiesel production. The offering involves four different calls for proposals, and involves funds from the National Fund for Scientific and Technological Development (Fundo Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico – FNDCT), CNPq’s Agro-business […]
CNPq to Invest R$8 Million in Alternative Fertilizer Research
Monday, September 1st, 2008Brazil’s National Council on Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq) has announced that it will invest R$8 million to stimulate research into the development of alternative fertilizers. The program is an acknowledgment of the fact that much of current Brazilian agricultural production utilizes fertilizers from non-renewable sources, often imported, that can create both economic problems for […]