O projeto Comperj e a tensão entre o discurso e a prática do desenvolvimento sustentável

Abstract

The general objective of this doctoral thesis is to identify how the characteristic elements of sustainable development are incorporated in the implementation of Comperj, verifying how the fundamentals of sustainability are inserted in the great investments projects of the federal government. Investments in large projects have traditionally been confrontational and disadvantaged for marginalized populations. In view of the Federal Government's investment scenario in the Growth Acceleration Plan (PAC), we selected the Rio de Janeiro Petrochemical Complex (Comperj), among the ten largest investments of the PAC according to the Ministry of Planning and Budget (MPOG) . Comperj is being built in the municipality of Itaboraí / RJ, in the eastern portion of the Metropolitan Region of Rio de Janeiro. Since the announcement of the venture in 2006 there is much speculation about the benefits and impacts of this great work. We also observed a great mobilization and concern with possible population impacts and damage to Guanabara Bay, especially in the mangrove remnants. We carried out a qualitative research, following the case study strategy, with the adoption of the pairing technique, in which we compared the data and research findings with the theoretical and constitutional assumptions of sustainable development, and we rely on the reflections on environmental justice and development. The data comes from documentary research in official documents of the Comperj projects such as EIA/RIMA, data from the Petrobras website, reports on the monitoring and execution of the PAC, and from journalistic reports. The data are treated with the aid of Atlas Ti Software, specific for the analysis of qualitative data. It is a matter of demonstrating the thesis that the economic interests of government and entrepreneurs remain predominant over social interests, and that the Brazilian government's action in the implementation of the PAC, especially the Comperj, privileges the national income increases (GDP) rather than the aspects of sustainable development. Paradoxically, in a bid to build a developmental state, a leftist government cannot effectively act in the fight against inequality in the Comperj region and does not implement environmental management that promotes a healthy and balanced environment, moving away from constitutional model of development. We have identified that the PAC has been carried out in a conflictive way and that all ten major ventures present problems in relation to local communities. In the specific case of the Comperj it was possible to verify that there was a fragmentation of the licensing which reduced the understanding of the impacts and the effects on the Guanabara Bay. There were also additions to the venture that expanded its area of coverage. In addition, one of the main benefits boosted by the petrochemical complex, the generation of jobs in the polymer industries, was abandoned, reducing the project to only one oil refinery.