Trivializing sustainability: Environmental governance and rhetorical free‐riders in the Brazilian Amazon

Abstract

Interventions focused on sustainability at a local level tend to employ practices according to criteria that are widely accepted in the international development community. These practices constitute an informal “handbook,” establishing general rules for sustainable development to be applied to any situation. In response, local communities endeavor to formally meet these procedural criteria regardless of whether or not the desired end — sustainable development — can be achieved through them. The aim of this study is to demonstrate how the factors that are regarded as necessary for good governance affected the implementation of Agenda 21 programs in three Amazonian municipalities in the state of Mato Grosso, Brazil. We find that, contrary to expectations among international development practitioners, preoccupation with a formal adherence to good governance criteria is associated with the opening of a gap between the discourse of sustainable development and the actual results of the Agenda 21 processes. This paper stresses the need to avoid overtaking the rationale of ends by the discourse concerning means.

Capturing the benefits that emerge from regional sustainability networks: The Castile–La Mancha network of sustainable cities and towns

“…Furthermore, implementation of citizen participation is perceived as requiring knowledge, human and financial resources, and a great amount of time and effort (Ferraz da Fonseca et al. ). Consequently, a lack of effective citizen participation has repeatedly appeared in the literature as one of the weak points in experiences of implementing LA21, and is one of the areas to which researchers have recently devoted their efforts (Coenen ; Varol et al.…”

“…For some municipalities, the embrace of citizen participation may constitute an element of rupture with practices that have become customary (Feichtinger and Pregernig 2005). Furthermore, implementation of citizen participation is perceived as requiring knowledge, human and financial resources, and a great amount of time and effort (Ferraz da Fonseca et al 2012). Consequently, a lack of effective citizen participation has repeatedly appeared in the literature as one of the weak points in experiences of implementing LA21, and is one of the areas to which researchers have recently devoted their efforts (Coenen 2009;Varol et al 2011;Ferraz da Fonseca et al 2012).…”

Participatory Detection of Language Barriers towards Multilingual Sustainability(ies) in Africa

“…In parallel, and in spite of significant efforts towards language inclusivity, many African university structures continue to resist, explicitly or tacitly, most manifestations of diversity [89,90].…”

Social learning as a process to foster Integrated Coastal Management

“…There are many obstacles for social participation in management processes, such as coping with the lack of representativeness, overcoming language barriers, sharing knowledge and power among participants, and empowering and engaging the individuals (ASMUS et al, 2006;BROWN;TOMPKINS;ADGER, 2002;DA FONSECA;BURSZTYN;ALLEN, 2012;JABLONSKI;FILET, 2008;KALIKOSKI;SEIXAS;ALMUDI, 2009;TRIMBLE;SEIXAS, 2014). Participating is more than the mere presence of people in decision making arenas, it is necessary to make them truly engage in the discussion and be part of the joint construction of public policies, otherwise participatory spaces may only serve to endorse the will of a dominant faction or reproduce social exclusions (ARAUJO; SEIXAS, 2012;BROWN;TOMPKINS;ADGER, 2002;MARTIN;LEMON, 2001).…”