A Educação Ambiental na Secretaria de Qualidade Ambiental (SQA) no período de 2000 a 2020: subsídios para a gestão ambiental do Município de Pelotas/RS

Abstract

We are currently experiencing an environmental crisis caused by conflicts between economic development and environmental preservation, resulting in various socio environmental problems for the population. In this context, Non-Formal Environmental Education (EE) is an important educational process for addressing this collapse, and public policies correspond to the action and solution of the problems. The objective of the study is to evaluate the public policies of environmental education developed by the Secretariat of Environmental Quality (SQA) in the municipality of Pelotas, RS. For this purpose, the research was of a qualitative-quantitative nature, of the exploratory descriptive type, with data collection instruments being documentary research and content analysis. Data were collected from the Annual Report of Environmental Quality (RAMB), newspapers, and social networks. During this period, it was evidenced that all five governments carried out non-formal EE activities at SQA, divided into actions, projects, and events. It was also found that the number of specific actions was much higher than the number of projects and events. This reality occurs due to the demand from the secretariat to participate in celebratory activities and activities with other partner institutions. SQA promoted an EE that reached the community, school students, and children, corroborating with the National Policy of Environmental Education (NPEE). However, the EE carried out was more punctual with short-term actions than long-term activities with clear objectives, goals, evaluations, and continuity. All regions of the city headquarters were assisted, and most of the rural districts visited, but little was done specifically for farmers and quilombolas who inhabit the municipality. Finally, it is concluded that there is no deeper evaluation of EE practiced in the municipality, which may hinder decision-making in future projects. However, it is believed that the study can contribute to mapping the EE carried out by SQA in the last two decades and provide subsidies for the development of new projects as well as strengthen the network of non formal EE in the municipality.