Brazilian’s Legal Framework and Water Regulation

Authors

  • Marcelo Kokke

    Department of Law, Dom Holder Camara College, Belo Horizonte, 30150-250, Brazil

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.30564/mmpp.v5i4.5819
Received: 30 June 2023 | Revised: 20 September 2023 | Accepted: 7 October 2023 | Published Online: 16 October 2023

Abstract

The legal framework of water regulation can assume different characteristics according to each country’s reality. The preservation and conservation of water and ecosystems depend on rules configuration in the Constitution and legal prescriptions. This manuscript presents the Brazilian legal framework and water regulation. The analysis confirms that in the Brazilian system water is regulated as environmental resource and environmental good. From a descriptive methodology, the article explains how the Brazilian legal system works. The article also remarks on the regulation of multiple uses of water, approaching the legal regulation among industrial, agricultural, and human consumption of water. The aim of the paper is to explain normative regulation of water in Brazil, including the court’s activities in cases of discharges of sewage directly into the rivers.

Keywords:

Water regulation; Brazil; Environmental resource; Environmental good

References

[1] Brasil, 1988. Constituição da República Federativa do Brasil de 1988 (Portuguese) [Constitution of the Federative Republic of Brazil 1988] [Internet]. Available from: https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/constituicao/constituicao.htm

[2] Purvin, G., 2017. Justiça ambiental, acesso à água e ao saneamento: algumas considerações por ocasião dos vinte anos de edição da Lei n. 9.433/1997 e dos dez anos da Lei n. 11.445/2007. Purvin, G. (Coord.). Direito ambiental, recursos hídricos e saneamento. Estudos em comemoração aos 20 anos da Política Nacional de Recursos Hídricos e aos 10 anos da Política Nacional de Saneamento (Portuguese) [Environmental justice, access to water and sanitation: some considerations on the occasion of the twenty years of National Water Resources Policy and 10 years of National Sanitation Policy. Environmental law, water resources and sanitation. Studies in celebration of 20 years of of National Water Resources Policy and 10 years of National Sanitation Policy]. São Paulo: Letras Jurídicas, 25-47. p. 38.

[3] Agência Nacional de Águas—ANA, 2017. Atlas esgotos: despoluição de Bacias Hidrográficas (Portuguese) [Atlas sewers: depollution of watersheds]. Brasília: ANA.

[4] Brasil. Superior Tribunal de Justiça, 2023 (Portuguese) [Superior Court of Justice]. AREsp n. 1.407.773/RJ, relatora Ministra Assusete Magalhães, Segunda Turma, julgado em 23/5/2023, DJe de 26/5/2023.

[5] Brasil. Superior Tribunal de Justiça, 2019 (Portuguese) [Superior Court of Justice]. AgInt no AREsp 777.724/RJ, Rel. Ministro NAPOLEÃO NUNES MAIA FILHO, PRIMEIRA TURMA, DJe de 01/10/2018; AgInt no AREsp 1.725.379/AL, Rel. Ministra ASSUSETE MAGALHÃES, SEGUNDA TURMA, DJe de 06/04/2021; REsp 1.814.111/SE, Rel. Ministro FRANCISCO FALCÃO, SEGUNDA TURMA, DJe de 18/11/2019.

[6] Brasil, 1997. Lei n. 9.433, de 8 de janeiro de 1997. Institui a Política Nacional de Recursos Hídricos, cria o Sistema Nacional de Gerenciamento de Recursos Hídricos, regulamenta o inciso XIX do art. 21 da Constituição Federal, e altera o art. 1º da Lei nº 8.001, de 13 de março de 1990, que modificou a Lei nº 7.990, de 28 de dezembro de 1989 (Portuguese) [Law n. 9.433, of January 8, 1997. Establishes the National Water Resources Policy, creates the National Water Resources Management System, regulates item XIX of art. 21 of Brazilian Constitution, and amends Art. 1 of Law 8.001, of 13 March 1990, which modified Law 7.990, of 28 December 1989]. Available from: https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/l9433.htm#:~:text=Institui%20a%20Pol%C3%ADtica%20Nacional%20de,28%20de%20dezembro%20de%201989

[7] Milaré, E., 2018. Direito do ambiente (Portuguese) [Environmental Law]. Prefácio Ada Pellegrini Grinover. São Paulo: Thomson Reuters Brasil. p. 945.

[8] Antunes, P.B., 2021. Direito Ambiental (Portuguese) [Environmental Law]. São Paulo: Atlas. p. 823.

[9] Brasil, 1981. Lei n. 6.938, de 31 de agosto de 1981. Dispõe sobre a Política Nacional do Meio Ambiente, seus fins e mecanismos de formulação e aplicação, e dá outras providências (Portuguese) [Law n. 6.938, of August 31, 1981. Provides for the National Environment Policy, its purposes and mechanisms of formulation]. Available from: https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/l6938.htm

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How to Cite

Kokke, M. (2023). Brazilian’s Legal Framework and Water Regulation. Macro Management & Public Policies, 5(4), 36–40. https://doi.org/10.30564/mmpp.v5i4.5819

Issue

Article Type

Short Communication