Social and environmental vulnerability in environmental education practiced within the federal licensing in macaé (Rio De Janeiro, Brazil)

Abstract

Given the growth the oil industry faced in contemporary Brazil and, since the Environmental Education is a compensatory measure in the federal environmental licensing, the aims of the present article are: I) mapping the publications on "environmental vulnerability", ii) checking on the incorporation of such concept into the institutional and legal environmental education (EE) framework in oil licensing iii) understanding how the mentioned concept is used by economic agents in Macaé city. The methodology consisted of a participant observation approach used during the implementation of an EA program in Macae between 2012 and 2014, as well as of literature review, data collection in the legislation on EA in oil licensing and in technical documents produced by economic agents. Despite the advancement of academic discussions about the "environmental vulnerability" concept, we see the absence of clear criteria to define the social groups in vulnerability situations in educational activities concerning the environmental licensing.