Espécies exóticas invasoras do território nacional: Subsídios para a formulação e a implementação de uma Política Pública no Brasil

Abstract

Invasive exotic species are considered one of the greatest threats because they can affect simultaneously biodiversity and human health, property and resources. Therefore, efforts in confronting such species engage a wide range of institutions and legal instruments. In order to contribute to the formulation and implementation of public policies to confront invasive exotic species in the Brazilian territory, this study analyzed secondary data such as government documents, scientific publications and legal instruments, aims to demonstrate the thesis that actual socioenvironmental problems, among them bioinvasions, demands articulated actions capable to integrating technical-scientific knowledge, the applicable legislation and the institutional framework, without neglecting public participation of social actors involved in the process of formulation and implementation of public policy. Results point that Brazil is going through an environmental risk scenario due to the lack of integrated actions to confront the problem. The comparative analysis between the Brazilian structure and that of three other countries (South Africa, United States of America and New Zealand) shows that factors such as size of territory, governmental structure to confront the problem, coherence between the legal and institutional framework and the availability of scientific information jointly are important to the success of national responses to the problem, but individually are not able to explain such success. This comparison reinforces the theory about the importance of integration of scientific knowledge, institutional framework and legal structure for an effective response to bioinvasions. Scientific advances should be catalysts of improvements to legal acts, which in order to be efficient should provide institutions with structured action instruments. In order to improve its legislation, a country needed observe the roles such instruments have on other aspects and sectors of society and the limitations imposed by global coexistence managed by international agreements. Analyses of the Convention on Biological Diversity and International Plant Protection Convention show that international agreements brought important advances to Brazilian capacity to confront bioinvasions. However, such international agreement may limit national acts, especially regarding the adoption of more stringent preventive measures. Additionally, a comparative analysis between Environmental, Water Resources and Agricultural National Policies has allowed the identification of some important domestic points in the formulation and implementation of a public policies to confront bioinvasions, including: wide inclusion of actors involved with the theme, establishment of arenas of discussion that incorporate multiple views and dimensions of the theme and integration of scientific advances to regulatory instruments and operating systems in the implementation of the policies. In conclusion, despite advances in scientific, legal and institutional confrontation of bioinvasions, there is remarkable disconnectivity between these components. Thus, besides the establishment of public policies through legal instruments, the effective integration of these components should be prioritized to ensure consistency of action and efficient practice of such policies.