Environmental conflict analysis: mining activities in rural communities and environmental protected areas (APA).

This article explores an environmental conflict that occurs in rural communities of Santa Cruz and Esperanca in the city of Icara, Santa Catarina State. The site of the conflict is also an environmental protected area (APA) and the dispute is with a large coal mining company that is trying to be installed in the same area. The case analysis was developed on the assumption that the increasing of environmental conflicts is one of the determining factors for the strengthening of environmental actions and for the formation of local environmental governance structures, and, consequently, for the institutionalization of the municipal environmental management. Therefore, after a theoretical review of environmental conflicts and coal mining in the region, the main actors and conditions that shaped the dispute were identified. Finally, based on conflict analysis, a conflict mapping was designed and the main outcomes of the conflict that confirms the research hypothesis were identified. Key-words: environmental conflicts; environmental management; southern Santa Catarina State. * Doutor em Desenvolvimento Sustentavel (UnB). Tecnico do Ministerio do Meio Ambiente (MMA). Email: danieltn@gmail.com ** Doutora em Ciencias da Agua – Gestao Ambiental (Universidade de Paris VI). Professora do Centro de Desenvolvimento Sustentavel da Universidade de Brasilia (CDS/UnB). Email: dute.cds@gmail.com