Protected Area, Environmental Education, and The Power to Act: Towards Sustainable Societies?

Unidad de Conservación, Educación Ambiental Y Poder de Acción: ¿Hacia Sociedades Sostenibles?

Abstract

Through the case study of a Protected Area - the Pau Brasil National Park (PNPB) - we analyzed possible connections between the establishment of a socio-environmental council - the Thematic Chamber of Environmental Education (CTEA) - within the PNPB’s Consultative Council, and the variation in the power to act of this collective and those involved in its creation and functioning. The primary objective of this research was to contribute to the development of knowledge regarding transitions towards sustainable societies. Data was collected through document analysis and narrative interviews and analyzed through Spinoza’s philosophy, triangulation, and discursive textual analysis. We found that the creation of the CTEA resulted in an increase in the group’s power to act. However, many challenges still remain. Furthermore, we identified a direct relationship between participation, the power to act, and positive outcomes.

Keywords:
Critical Environmental Education; Protected Areas; Spinoza; Public Policies; Porto Seguro