Environmental transparency: froam availability to access to environmnetal information

Abstract

Examines the availability and access of governmental environmental data and information for environmental transparency promotion and presentation of elements able to subsidize the planning of environmental management on municipal level. Methodologically, qualitative approach, took as object of study the Portal of the Ministry of environment – MMA, as well as, to counterpoint, the potential and limits of access to environmental information this portal for environmental managers of 13 municipalities located in different regions of the State of Pará and levels of autonomy and institutional organization for environmental management. This analysis revealed that MMA presents limitations for environmental transparency, allowing two conclusions: a theoretical and abstract, in order that the availability of information means transparency and what criteria need to be considered; and other empirical, in order to consider the specificities of sub-national contexts imposes to MMA taking as starting point the National Tripartite Commission (CTN) for the purpose of bringing together the federated entities (federal Government, States, Federal District and municipalities) and through dialogues to promote a shared and decentralised management between federal, State and local authorities, and strengthen the structure of the Sisnama.