Anppas

Abstract

We begin this editorial by bringing a brief report about the 7 th ANPPAS National Meeting (National Association of Graduate Courses and Reserach in Environment and Society), highlighting the thematic diversity and the growing scope of the debate on present topics that dialogue with Brazilian, Latin-American, and international reality. There were 465 attendees, being 54 undergraduates, 223 graduates, and 138 professors and professionals, apart from the 40 speakers in various round tables and panels. The opening conference, by professor Dr. José Augusto Pádua, entitled O Dilema do Berço Esplêndido: o Brasil na História do Antropoceno" ("The Dilemma of Splendid Craddle: Brazil in the History of Anthropocene), approached the intense acceleration of natural resources consumption and the worldwide impacts of demographic transitions in the last 60 years. According to prof. Pádua, Brazil's tendency as provider of natural resources as commodities is strongly detrimental on them. However, he also highlighted the potential importance of the country as a leader in sustainable alternatives of natural resources appropriation. The various round tables, composed by both national and international experts, touched many topics currently on the spotlight, such as "Corporative Social-Environmental Responsibility", "Ecological Goods and Services", "Biodiversity Access Law", "Climate Change and Food Security", "Environmental Management Policy in Indigenous Land", and "Bioenergy in Low-carbon Economy". Eight panels were organized, with comprehensive theme subjects proposed by specialized professors and/or researchers, in which the presentations were offered by specialists. On the one hand, matters associated with governance and public policy were addressed, such as the interrelationships between public policies and climate change agenda in Latin America; new governance arrangements aiming deforestation reductions: giving the agricultural sector a proactive part; global environmental changes: environmental policies (with an emphasis on climate policy) in Brazil and China; and Global Water Partnership and its vision of water security on a global, continental, and national scale. On the other hand, theoretical panels took place that focused on four topics: Georgescu-Roegen; ecological macroeconomics and degrowth; gender and governance; and environment, politics, and development: Brazil among tradition, modernity, and environmental conflicts. The 7 th meeting had 18 Theme Groups with submissions and presentations of full articles, plus the "Young Researchers" TG which accepted abstracts and allowed presentations in poster form. A total of 438 articles and 71 abstracts was submitted, with 309 articles and 61 posters accepted. The refusal rate was 27%.