Ferro Carajas s11D: social participation and dialectical process in environmental licensing of mining in a Conservation Unit

This research seeks to identify what are the demands presented at the public hearing phase of the environmental licensing process of a business located within a protected area, in order to discuss the achievement of sustainable development. This study analyzed, quantitatively and qualitatively, the social participation in the public hearing of the environmental licensing process n degrees 02001.000711 / 2009-46 of the Brazilian Institute of Environment and Renewable Natural Resources - Ibama. In this process, prior license n degrees 436/2012 was granted, recognizing the environmental feasibility of the Projeto Carajas S11D project, requested by Companhia Vale do Rio Doce, within the Carajas National Forest conservation unit. This case is paradigmatic because it was the first time in Brazil that mining activity was authorized in a federal protected area. The questions that challenged this article were: In the social participation of the Carajas S11D Iron Project environmental licensing public hearing, is there a balance between the social, institutional, economic and environmental facets of sustainable development? Have any of them prevailed? Has social participation changed the conditions of environmental licensing and generated any gain for the protected area and for population? Through a bibliographic review, combined with a case study, 136 questions were analyzed and it was concluded that the demands presented at the public hearing prevailed the economic aspect. It was found that 34% of the questions raised by the population in the public hearing were based on job creation and wealth increase in the region. The suggestions of the population did not seem to impact the conditions of environmental licensing. It was identified, however, that there were environmental gains resulting from a dialectical process developed in the course of licensing conducted by Ibama technicians, who often formulated requests for supplemental information and reformulations in the entrepreneur's proposals. With the conclusions of this research, it is intended to instigate a reflection on ways to make social participation in environmental licensing more effective. Therefore, a dialectical proposal of public hearing is suggested, which will bring gains to the welfare of the population and protected areas.