Law, sustainable development and the energy exploitation of shale gas in Brazil

Energy production through the economic exploration of shale gas has been the subject of intense debate in Brazil, especially with regard to the social and environmental impacts that this type of activity can cause. Through the present work, the methodologies and impacts resulting from the exploitation of shale gas were analyzed, based on the experiences of other countries, as well as, approached in the perspective of sustainable development the normative instruments and rounds of Bids that have been implemented in the country that with the objective of making the exercise of this economic activity viable. The methodology used was the bibliographical and documentary research and the analytical and descriptive methods were adopted for the approach of the problematic proposal. As a result, the need for technological advances in the face of traditional forms of exploration of shale gas and the environmental impacts that can be brought about by this activity has been demonstrated. It was also found that the public power initiatives, through the National Petroleum Agency ANP, for the exploration of shale gas in Brazil are not being carried out with full observance of the postulates and principles foreseen in art. 225 of the Constitution. This study contributes to a critical reflection on the energy exploitation of shale gas in Brazil, taking into account the possible impacts that may arise from this process and the constitutional duty of environmental maintenance ecologically balanced.