Analysis of international procedures for conflict mitigation in protected areas

• Grant number: 15/05127-4
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Master's degree
• Start date: September 06, 2015
• End date: January 05, 2016
• Field of knowledge: Interdisciplinary Subjects
• Principal Investigator: Marcelo Marini Pereira de Souza
• Grantee: Rafaela Aguilar Sansão
• Supervisor: Michael Jungmeier
• Host Institution: Escola de Artes, Ciências e Humanidades (EACH). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Alpen-Adria-Universität Klagenfurt, Austria
• Associated to the scholarship: 14/15086-0 - Analysis of socio-environmental conflicts and land use in protected áreas, BP.MS

Abstract

Protected areas (PAs) are in constant transition, through paradigm shifts over the centuries. PAs in its third and current generation are defined as important biodiversity conservation tool, have inter and trans-disciplinary conservation objectives, which should reach global levels, as well as show principles of sharing benefits, participation and governance. Their benefits are: contribution to national economies through tourism; livelihoods of local communities; help in mitigating and adapting to climate change; protection of world heritage; provision of ecosystem services; among others. However, global studies indicate that these areas have shown a precarious management efficiency. In this scenario, some of the goals set by the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) state that they must be managed effectively. In the Brazilian context, PAs are involved in serious management problems, such as lack of human and material resources; lack of planning; inadequate threshold definitions and categories; absence of previous detailed technical studies; problems in their land regularization; delay to the achievement of management plans; among others. Thus, in order to create a tool that helps to reverse the current precarious management of Brazilian protected areas, this project will examine international mitigation procedures of the main issues found in European protected areas. The knowledge gained through this international experience, coupled with analysis of national mitigation procedures, previously studied, will produce a theoretical and conceptual framework, which aims to present scenarios showing the different approaches (national and international) of conflict mitigation. (AU)