PARTICIPATORY MAPPING OF SOCIO-ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS AND CONFLICTS
Innovative tool that maps the locations of coastal communities affected by various projects and activities. This digital map details the impacts caused by the oil and gas chain, real estate expansion and large-scale tourism, in addition to including areas designated as conservation units, among other factors. The platform allows for the visualization and collaborative analysis of data, facilitating the understanding of the challenges faced by these communities and promoting transparency and active participation in territorial and environmental management.
PROBLEM SOLVED
Traditional communities in the south of Rio de Janeiro and the north of São Paulo face serious impacts due to a development model proposed by the State that frequently ignores and violates their rights. This model has generated numerous conflicts and negative impacts on their territories. Indigenous peoples, quilombolas and caiçaras in the region are constantly seeking solutions to these conflicts and defending their territorial rights. However, the lack of adequate documentation on these impacts limits the visibility of the conflicts and hinders the actions of defense agents and protective agencies, such as the Public Prosecutor's Office and the Public Defender's Office, among others. The lack of detailed records also prevents an effective and coordinated response, exacerbating the vulnerability of these communities and compromising the protection of their rights.
SOLUTION ADOPTED
Through a process of social mapping, traditional communities identify conflicts in their respective territories and draw, using Google Maps or analog maps, the shape, location and characterization of the enterprises that cause damage. Based on this data, the information is cataloged and georeferenced in a continuous construction process. The constant updating of the information allows the monitoring of the evolution of each situation, including achievements and setbacks in the fight against injustices.
The points, lines and polygons drawn and indicated on the maps are transferred to a Geographic Information System (GIS), which allows the systematization of information and the creation of a geographic database. After the information collected directly from the communities is inserted into the GIS, a map is generated that complies with the accuracy standards (PEC). This map is then presented again to the communities, both in analog and digital form, with the aim of including new enterprises that had not previously been included. This social mapping process not only documents and makes territorial conflicts visible, but also strengthens the communities’ ability to monitor and defend their rights. The use of digital and analog tools facilitates the active participation of communities in the management of their territories, promoting a collaborative approach to conflict resolution and the protection of their traditional spaces.
RESULT ACHIEVED
The conflict map significantly increases the visibility of territorial conflicts, becoming an essential tool for the defense of traditional territories. In addition, it accelerates the process of defending Traditional Peoples and Communities (PCTs), both by the legal advisory of the Traditional Communities Forum (FCT) and by the Federal Public Prosecutor's Office (MPF) and other justice actors. This is because the map allows direct consultation of conflicts by those who have access to the platform, eliminating the need to seek information from third parties whenever necessary.
In 2023, the conflict map was used and filed in the public hearings of Stage 4 of the Pre-Salt. During these hearings, the need to serve all seven municipalities involved, to expand the characterization of traditional territories and to include new impacts in the Environmental Impact Study (EIA) was highlighted. The use of the map in these hearings highlights its importance as a strategic resource for defending the territorial and environmental rights of traditional communities, facilitating articulation and coordinated action between different actors involved in the protection of these territories.