Analysis of Environmental Enforcement in Controlling Deforestation and Crimes Against Flora in the Legal Amazon
Legal Amazon, Deforestation, Environmental Enforcement, Sustainability
The Legal Amazon represents a globally significant ecosystem, playing a crucial role in climate regulation and biodiversity preservation. However, the region faces a growing history of deforestation, driven by activities such as agriculture, mining, and illegal resource extraction. The agencies of SISNAMA are responsible for monitoring and implementing administrative measures, with IBAMA being an agency of the federal Executive Branch. Nevertheless, the persistence of deforestation, even with the imposition of sanctions, indicates that the enforcement model and the command-and-control mechanisms still have significant limitations. In this context, this research aims to analyze the effectiveness of federal environmental enforcement in controlling deforestation and infractions against the flora in the Legal Amazon between 2009 and 2024, investigating the effectiveness of the infraction notices (AI) applied to crimes against the flora, with a focus on fine collection and the compliance with sanctions. The research methodology uses secondary data from agencies such as IBAMA and INPE, analyzing the relationship between the increase in deforestation and the performance of environmental enforcement. Preliminary results reveal that, despite an increase in registered infractions, the collection of fines and payment of sanctions remain very low, questioning the effectiveness of enforcement. It is concluded that, while enforcement has the potential to reduce deforestation, it has not been sufficient to prevent the advancement of illegal activities. Therefore, there is a need to strengthen the enforcement structure, create more effective policies, and ensure the sustainability of government actions over time.