Eighteenth International Conference on Environmental, Cultural, Economic & Social Sustainability

Abstract

At the same time as instruments of environmental governance are deteriorating and mechanisms of grassroot participation are being reversed, the discourse of bioeconomy spreads in national, regional, and global fora. Increasingly, networks of local communities are engaging in sustainable livelihood practices originating from holistic views that include ecological, cultural and socio-economic needs. On the other hand, the idea of economic valorization of the Amazon is being promoted by national, regional, and global business stakeholders and national governments such as the ”Pacto Letícia”. The following questions are addressed in our paper: To what degree are communal actors and interests being included in the discussion of bioeconomic exploration of the Amazon? Which participatory instruments are in place to facilitate or hamper this dialogue? On the basis of qualitative empirical research we will try to answer those questions. We are interested in the extent to which global and local interests can be balanced. By examining concrete participatory instruments, we want to contribute to operationalizing the concept of “environmental justice”.