A gestão democrática na tomada de decisões administrativas municipais voltadas à proteção do meio ambiente: limites e possibilidades

Abstract

The establishment of democratic management models gives greater legitimacy to state decisions by promoting dialogue, cooperation, and public trust. The 1988 Federal Constitution strengthened municipal autonomy within the federative pact, making municipalities key players in environmental protection. This decentralization is essential, as municipal territories often contain fragmented natural areas and require efficient public policies, such as sanitation, civil defense, and urbanization, which directly impact water resources. The integrated management of Water Resources Plans, Master Plans, Sanitation Plans, and other instruments is crucial to ensuring sustainability and democratic governance. Although the Constitution grants ownership of water resources to the states and the Union, municipalities play a crucial role in managing these waters, given their authority over basic sanitation and the regulation of urban land use and occupation. This study highlights the importance of municipal participation in water resource governance, analyzing the municipality of Cianorte/PR as a case study. The methodological approach combined documentary research, through the analysis of municipal data and documents, with bibliographic research, with the aim of grounding the theoretical discussion. The results indicate that the democratic and participatory management of environmental decisions in the municipality faces relevant challenges, marked by institutional, historical, and bureaucratic barriers that hinder the integration of sectoral plans and the inclusion of society. Although there are Municipal Councils focused on environmental and water resources issues, some of them are inactive or operate deficiently, compromising participatory governance. In this context, the Municipal Environmental Council stands out as the most structured and active, while others, such as those for Basic Sanitation and Civil Defense, show fragilities and less effectiveness. The research is part of the area of Water Resources Regulation and Governance and dialogues with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) nº 6, 11, and 16. The construction of an effective democracy in Brazil requires overcoming structural barriers that limit social participation, making the adoption of normative mechanisms that strengthen access to information, environmental justice, and participatory governance essential.