Educação ambiental como instrumento de fortalecimento da democracia deliberativa

Abstract

The research problematizes the correlation between environmental education and deliberative democracy for an effective sustainable environmental policy, with the aim of fulfilling the Sustainable Development Goals (ODS), in view of the present climate and environmental crisis, at a global level. In the Brazilian scenario, the Federal Constitution recognizes the fundamental right to an ecologically balanced environment and imposes on the public authorities and the community the duty to defend and preserve it, for present and future generations. Internationally, Brazil is a signatory of international treaties and agreements and has been assuming commitments related to environmental protection and the fight against climate change. However, in recent history, there has been a weakening of institutions, environmental preservation, and a reduction in popular participation in spaces for deliberation and decision-making on this topic. In view of this, the research establishes a spatial and temporal cut, to analyze the Brazilian scenario, in the period from January 1, 2019, to December 31, 2022. The study is developed under the theoretical basis of Jünger Habermas about deliberative democracy and having as guides Luhmannian interlocution theory, by Ulrich Beck and Cássius Guimarães Chai on risk society and democracy. The research problem translates into the following question: establishing the period from January 1, 2019, to December 31, 2022, as a time frame and based on the theoretical framework of Jünger Habermas, to what extent does the correlation between environmental education and deliberative democracy promote effective environmental and climate policy in compliance with the SDGs? It uses the hypothetical-deductive method and tests the hypothesis that carrying out environmental education actions contributes to the engagement and strengthening of the participation of non-state actors in public decision-making spheres, as the implementation of deliberative democracy and legitimation of decision-making processes of environmental policies and climate. The objectives were: to analyze, from the perspective of the risk society, social participation in the legitimation of decision-making processes of public policies in environmental and climate matters; to investigate Brazil's position in the global context of the environmental and climate crisis; and to relate the fulfillment of the human and fundamental right to a balanced environment with the cultural change of society, including environmental education. It adopts bibliographical and documental research as procedures. The text has the following structure: the first chapter highlights approaches on environmental education, democracy, risks and the strategic action of citizenship, analyzing deliberative democracy in a risk society context; the second chapter analyzes the climate issue, reporting international agreements signed on the subject, covering the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs; the third chapter presents environmental education as a facilitator for the formation of public opinion and will, which, through citizen action, legitimizes decision-making procedures. It concludes by the need to expand public spaces for debate, formation of will and public opinion and to promote the awakening and engagement of civil society to actively participate in decision-making processes that deal with public policies for sustainable development, for which environmental education proves to be an essential tool