The sociopolitical face of the climate crise and extreme events: a study with the ecovillages in the States of São Paulo and Bavaria

• Grant number: 23/11361-6
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Doctorate
• Start date: February 01, 2024
• End date: October 31, 2024
• Field of knowledge: Interdisciplinary Subjects
• Principal Investigator: Leila da Costa Ferreira
• Grantee: Luciana Lima Domingues de Souza
• Supervisor: Maria Angela Backhouse
• Host Institution: Núcleo de Estudos e Pesquisas Ambientais (NEPAM). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Universität Augsburg, Germany
• Associated to the scholarship: 22/09617-0 - The sociopolitical face of the climate crise and extreme events: a study with the ecovillages in the States of São Paulo and Bavaria., BP.DR

Abstract

Ecovillages emerged from the countercultural and anti-system social movement of alternative communities of the 1960s. These communities seek human, social, economic, and natural regeneration as an institutional purpose, aligned with the 2030 Agenda. However, published scientific data on how ecovillages have treated the climate crisis and extreme events are rare. The general objective of the research is to conduct a socio-political referenced analysis in the North-South axis of how the ecovillages is incorporating the climate crisis and extreme events, in the state of São Paulo and Bavaria, Germany. The research project has as specific objectives: (i) to analyze, in a referenced way, the strategies, and the social and environmental technologies of low impact of the rural ecovillages of São Paulo and Bavaria states, to face the climate crisis and extreme events; (ii) to identify the role and function of ecovillages, of the State, and of the administrative institutions in a post-anthropocentric civilization; (iii) to analyze, in a referenced way, how the sustainable use and occupation of rural land is being treated by the rural ecovillages of São Paulo and Bavaria states; (iv) to evaluate, in a referenced way, how the discussion of cooperativism and associativism is present in the context of the rural ecovillages of São Paulo and Bavaria states; and (v) to expose, based on a 10-year series, the extreme events experienced by the rural ecovillages of São Paulo and Bavaria states. In São Paulo, there are fifteen active rural ecovillages, nine of which formally participating in this research. Of the 22 participants, 12 members from São Paulo ecovillages and two members from the social organizations, which catalyze the national movement, have already been interviewed. The interviews are being recorded, archived, transcribed, and interpreted through discourse analysis. The preliminary results indicate that there are social and environmental technologies developed at low cost and impact by the ecovillages that corroborate with the adaptation of these communities to the effects and impacts of the climate crisis, as well as a land use/occupation to produce water, avoid landslides, floods, losses of agropastoral cultivation and degradation of natural ecosystems. 90% of respondents expressed a desire to organize their knowledge of environmental and social technologies into a climate agenda that can be replicated for other ecovillages and rural communities. It was also found a different institutional arrangement for the promotion of sustainable local development in a context of climate adaptation and resilience of river basins. The second stage will occur in 2024, when the Bavarian ecovillages and social organizations will be addressed. From the Centre for Climate Resilience of Augsburg University, in addition to the field research, it will also be possible to interact with researchers, to provide the referenced analysis of the data, which is a question that is crucial for the demonstration of the results of the thesis, as well as to elaborate a joint publication, as another product of the abroad internship. During this period, the presentation of the work´s results is scheduled at notable events and research entities of European Community for future actions. The analysis of the Bavarian experiences will bring the experience of these communities in facing the climate crisis and extreme events, as well as the institutional arrangements and the way in which public policies have been reverberating inside and outside these communities. Above all, the study can provide the sharing of experiences of social entrepreneurship, climate citizenship and environmental justice in both countries. (AU)