Thesis (LL. M.)--George Washington University, 1992. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references.

Although major whaling practices have ceased, increasing human involvement and influence in the world’s marine ecosystems continue to adversely effect global whale populations. It is a major concern throughout Antarctic waters, where endangered Oceania Humpback Whales (Megaptera novarangliae) annually feed. This study analyzes the extent to which a proposed marine protected area within the Ross Sea may indirectly harm the last remaining endangered population of Humpbacks. Using current satellite tracks of southern Humpback migrations, this model maps the effects of displaced Toothfish fisheries, and suggests further conservations efforts, based on New Zealand’s Precautionary Approach, to protect these vulnerable whales.

Les relations entre la nature et les frontières sont traditionnellement conçues comme antagonistes : tandis que la nature ne connaîtrait pas de frontières, le droit public est, d’un point de vue spatial, structuré par les frontières. Le dépassement d’une telle opposition est cependant engagé, sous l’influence de plusieurs facteurs. D’abord, le droit de l’environnement crée ses propres frontières, indépendantes des frontières humaines et calquées sur celles de la nature. Les notions de zonage écologique et, surtout, de réseau écologique participent de ce mouvement. Ensuite, le droit de l’environnement recourt à la coopération transfrontalière, comme technique d’effacement fonctionnel de la frontière politique. Enfin, une complémentarité s’affirme entre le droit de l’environnement et le droit de la coopération transfrontalière infra-étatique. Le droit de coopérer a été reconnu aux collectivités territoriales et aux établissements publics compétents en matière de conservation de la nature, et des outils de coopération relativement adaptés à ce domaine ont été mis à leur disposition. Toutefois, une telle complémentarité est mise à l’épreuve par les différences importantes qui peuvent subsister entre les droits nationaux d’Etats frontaliers et, surtout, par la responsabilisation insuffisante des acteurs de la coopération infra-étatique face aux obligations internationales environnementales. Ainsi, au sein du droit de l’environnement transfrontalier, le secteur émergent de la nature transfrontalière n’est pas encore aussi mature que celui, plus ancien, des pollutions transfrontières. / The opposition between nature and boundaries is well known : whereas nature knows no boundaries, public law is spatially structured by boundaries. However, such an opposition is currently being overcome under the influence of several factors. First, environmental law creates new boundaries that are no longer modelled on human boundaries but on nature ones. The notions of ecological zoning and above all ecological network illustrate this trend. Then, environmental law uses transboundary cooperation to mitigate the effects of boundaries on nature. Eventually, a complementarity is asserted between environmental law and infra-State transboundary cooperation law. The right to cooperate has been recognized to regional and local authorities and to public establishments responsible for nature conservation. Besides, relatively appropriate tools have been made available for cooperation in nature conservation. Nevertheless, this complementarity is being tested by the significant differences that may exist between national laws of neighbouring countries and, above all, by the lack of accountability of infra-State cooperation actors with respect to international environmental obligations. Thus, within transboundary environmental law, the emerging sector of transboundary nature is not as mature as the older one related to transboundary pollutions.

This thesis looks at the current fracking debate on a national scale, before focusing specifically on how this debate is playing out in the landscape of Central Arkansas. Focusing on the lack of national regulation, the unique array of state regulations that have popped up are assessed in their effectiveness on the ground through speaking with residents of the area. The demographics of these residents are analyzed within an assessment of environmental injustice vulnerability. This ethnographic approach also compares the de jure v. de facto outcomes of these regulations through the narratives of residents working with organizations across the political spectrum, and specifically seeks to gauge their own personal stories and experiences with regulators and the fracking industry. Other key actors are identified. This thesis concludes that agency capture is a reality for these residents, and their perceived powerlessness drastically increases the power of the gas companies that monopolize the political agenda in the region.

Submitted by Edileide Reis (leyde-landy@hotmail.com) on 2013-04-11T18:36:01Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Bernardo.pdf: 1105834 bytes, checksum: eb270a665e8c0bb1552cc45d13fddabd (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Rodrigo Meirelles(rodrigomei@ufba.br) on 2013-05-09T18:12:43Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 Bernardo.pdf: 1105834 bytes, checksum: eb270a665e8c0bb1552cc45d13fddabd (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2013-05-09T18:12:43Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Bernardo.pdf: 1105834 bytes, checksum: eb270a665e8c0bb1552cc45d13fddabd (MD5) Previous issue date: 2009 / Esta dissertação tem como objetivo investigar a viabilidade da utilização da arbitragem na prestação da tutela ressarcitória do dano ambiental. Em uma primeira aproximação destaca-se as vantagens da utilização da arbitragem frente às características do dano ambiental. A celeridade se relaciona com a irreversibilidade do dano ambiental; a especialização com o caráter sinérgico; a ausência de vinculação a uma jurisdição específica com as particularidades do dano transfronteiriço. Em seguida faz-se uma imersão no conteúdo do direito ambiental no intuito de identificar os bens ambientais protegidos por Lei. O macrobem o microbem e os bens ambientais conexos passam a ser objeto de análise. A seguir busca-se precisar o sistema de arbitrabilidade a partir de uma análise crítica dos critérios de acesso à arbitragem espalhados nas mais diversas legislações do mundo. Faz-se uma incursão específica na legislação alemã e na legislação do direito societário na Itália. Ainda nessa linha investiga-se como saíram da sombra da inarbitrabilidade as matérias trabalhista tributária concorrencial propriedade intelectual e administrativa. Finalmente relaciona-se o conteúdo do direito ambiental identificado com os critérios de arbitrabilidade vigentes na legislação brasileira concluindo-se quais conflitos ambientais podem ser levados à apreciação dos tribunais arbitrais. / Salvador

Rand Water contracted UNISA to develop a monetary valuation method for its open spaces and their inherent ecological functions. This study began by reviewing existing contemporary definitions of open space in South Africa and then identifying their key characteristics. The research project then looked at the economic contribution that open spaces make to the economy as a basis for environmental valuation. By determining the economic value of open spaces, decision makers can be informed about the importance of open space provision, preservation and maintenance. The project applied the participatory action research method which requires the active participation of focus groups. The focus groups consisted of Rand Water employees who deal with open spaces in their respective areas of work. During the literature review and problem formulation the various limitations of environmental valuation methods became evident. It became apparent that the development of new valuation methods would not be possible before existing valuation methods had been tested to see if they could feasibly be applied to open space in the Rand Water context. A literature review also determined that open space valuation studies in South Africa are very limited, which made it difficult to formulate a localised context. It was furthermore found that environmental valuers prefer to use the contingent valuation, travel cost and hedonic pricing methods. These methods rely on revealed and stated preferences of open space users to infer an economic value for an open space. Access to Rand Water’s open spaces is largely limited owing to strict access control. The excludability of open space users therefore hampers the generation of sufficient data to apply revealed and stated preference valuation methods. On the basis of this finding, it was decided to eliminate the contingent valuation and travel cost methods from this study. It was decided to apply the constraint composition theory, under the grounded theory model, to study the constraints or moderators which could affect the feasibility of environmental valuation application to Rand Water open spaces. Four moderators were then identified which could influence the outcome of the feasibility assessment. These are the limitations of the methods, the limitations of the legal framework, the limitations of the user and the limitations of the study area. It was found that the limitations of the methods were a moderator owing to their inherent data requirements. The only suitable valuation methods vi were found to be market based as they were not influenced by the excludability factor. These methods include the replacement cost, damage cost avoided, restoration cost and defensive expenditure valuation methods. The focus group was introduced to each method by participating in a method application exercise. Questionnaires regarding each method were completed to test variables. The legal framework was found not to be a moderator since even though there are limited direct provisions in legislation to mandate environmental valuation, there are legal principles which require economic impacts to be measured and damage to the environment to be estimated. These principles in themselves have supported litigation cases and the mere admission of environmental value estimates in court as evidence and support to a case therefore sets the required legal precedence and mandates further application. The user was found not to be a moderator. Feedback from the focus groups as well as an environmental resource economics workshop held at the Gauteng Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Environment showed that users understood environmental valuation principles, their benefits and limitations. With training, environmental scientists can apply these methods. The study area was found to be a moderator. The limited access for potential open space users, limited harvesting, limited agriculture and limited open space categories result in limited values that can be measured. In conclusion, it was found that not all environmental valuation methods can be applied to Rand Water open space owing to inherent limitations of the methods and the study area. Only market-based methods were found to be suitable for use on Rand Water open space. Notwithstanding the limitations of the methods and study area, which restrict the ability of valuers to obtain a total economic value for Rand Water open space, the available suite of methods can provide an indicator of value for environmental goods and services that flow from the utility’s open spaces. It was concluded that the application of environmental valuation methods to Rand Water open space is feasible within the context of the identified limitations. / Environmental Sciences / M.Sc. (Environmental Management)

No início do milênio, os impactos negativos da instalação de Estações de Rádio Base (ERB’s) no ambiente urbano, decorrentes do desenvolvimento da tecnologia de telefonia móvel, despertou a reação do Poder Público do Município de Porto Alegre, Capital do Rio Grande do Sul, provocado pelo movimento comunitário. Por meio da criação da Lei Municipal nº 8.896/2002, que definiu limites de exposição à radiação não ionizante mais protetivos em relação aos níveis estabelecidos pela União, bem como normas urbanísticas e ambientais, de acordo com o interesse local, Porto Alegre tornou-se uma referência para outras municipalidades na criação de políticas públicas de ERB’s, em consonância com o princípio da precaução. Todavia, num contexto de reclamações das empresas sobre as diretrizes estabelecidas no licenciamento ambiental local de ERB’s, o Projeto de Lei do Executivo (PLE) n° 57/2013 atualizou a Lei Municipal n° 8.896/2002, levantando dúvidas à população quanto a suas alterações e possíveis riscos à saúde humana. Ademais, no ano de 2013, o Tribunal de Justiça do Estado do Rio Grande do Sul (TJ-RS) declarou a legislação de Porto Alegre inconstitucional, com possíveis repercussões dessa decisão para outras municipalidades brasileiras. Nesse cenário, a presente pesquisa tem como objetivo analisar a percepção dos atores sociais sobre as políticas públicas de ERB’s na Capital, pela ótica do Desenvolvimento Sustentável (economia, ambiente, sociedade, questões territoriais e políticas), empregando o conhecimento sobre Direito Ambiental e Gestão Ambiental Urbana. Para cumprir tal objetivo, foi realizada uma pesquisa exploratória e descritiva de natureza qualitativa, escolhendo como estudo de caso a legislação de Porto Alegre. Em relação aos dados primários, acompanhou-se a Audiência Pública sobre o PLE n° 57/2013 no ano de 2014, bem como foram realizadas 16 entrevistas semiestruturadas com os principais atores sociais envolvidos na discussão da legislação de Porto Alegre. Complementarmente, como dados secundários, foram utilizados documentos legislativos, jornalísticos e institucionais. Os dados coletados foram analisados a partir da técnica de Análise de Conteúdo, agrupados nas cinco dimensões selecionadas do Desenvolvimento Sustentável. Pelo método adotado na pesquisa, é desenvolvida a interpretação dos dados, de forma que os resultados permitiram verificar a oposição entre a lógica empresarial e a lógica do Poder Público Municipal na discussão sobre a implantação de ERB’s em Porto Alegre, com a estratégia das operadoras de telefonia celular de judicialização da política pública, não se adaptando às regras estabelecidas no âmbito local. Por sua vez, ao declarar inconstitucional a legislação de Porto Alegre, a decisão do TJ-RS provoca a despolitização dessa importante questão ambiental para o Município. Os resultados mostraram também que a Lei Municipal n° 8.896/2002 pode ser considerada um marco regulatório inovador para a Gestão Ambiental Urbana da Capital, embora apresente falhas na fiscalização e no processo de licenciamento ambiental. Quanto às mudanças na legislação de Porto Alegre, ocorridas no ano de 2014, especialmente sob o aspecto de saúde, houve um retrocesso ambiental na discussão sobre os possíveis efeitos negativos causados pela poluição eletromagnética, sem o mesmo protagonismo da comunidade na construção dessa política pública nessa ocasião. Por fim, a pesquisa reforça a importância da descentralização da Gestão Ambiental Urbana para o Desenvolvimento Sustentável das cidades, favorecendo a participação dos cidadãos na construção de políticas públicas, como verificado no caso da legislação local de ERB’s de Porto Alegre. / At the beginning of the millennium, the negative impacts of Radio Base Stations (RBS) installation in the urban environment, as a consequence of the development of mobile phone technology, aroused the reaction of the government of the city of Porto Alegre, capital of Rio Grande do Sul, caused by community movement. Through the creation of the Municipal Law nº 8.896/2002, which set limits of exposure to non-ionizing radiation more protective than the levels established by the Union, as well as urban planning and environmental standards, according to the local interest, Porto Alegre became a reference to other municipalities in the creation of ERB's public policies, in line with the precautionary principle. However, in the context of complaints from companies about the guidelines set out in the local environmental licensing of ERB’s, Executive Law Project (ELP) nº 57/2013 updated the Municipal Law nº. 8896/2002, raising doubts to the public about its changes and possible risks to human health. Moreover, in 2013, the Court of Justice of Rio Grande do Sul State (CJ-RS) declared unconstitutional Porto Alegre legislation, with possible repercussions of this decision for other Brazilian municipalities. In this scenario, this research aims to analyze the perception of the social actors about ERB public policy in the Capital, from the perspective of Sustainable Development (economy, environment, society, territorial and political issues), using the knowledge on Environmental Law and Urban Environmental Management. To accomplish this objective, an exploratory and descriptive research of qualitative nature was performed choosing as case study the law of Porto Alegre. In relation to primary data, accompanied the Public Hearing about the ELP nº 57/2013 in 2014 and were conducted 16 semi-structured interviews with key social actors involved in the discussion of Porto Alegre legislation. In addition, as secondary data, legal, journalistic and institutional documents were used. The data collected were analyzed from the content analysis technique, grouped in the five selected dimensions of Sustainable Development. By the method adopted in the research, the interpretation of the data is developed, so that the results indicated the opposition between the business logic and the municipal government logic in the discussion about the ERB's implantation in Porto Alegre, with the cellular operators strategy of public policy judicialization, not adapting to the rules established at the local level. In turn, declaring the law of Porto Alegre unconstitutional, the CJ-RS decision causes the depoliticisation of this important environmental issue for the municipality. The results also showed that the Municipal Law nº 8.896/2002 can be considered an innovative regulatory mark for Urban Environmental Management of the Capital, although it has failures in control and environmental licensing process. As for the changes in the legislation of Porto Alegre, which occurred in 2014, especially in the aspect of health, there was an environmental retreat in the discussion about the possible adverse effects caused by electromagnetic pollution, without the same community protagonism in the construction of this public policy in this occasion. Finally, the research reinforces the importance of decentralization of Urban Environmental Management for Sustainable Development of cities, favoring the participation of citizens in the construction of public policies, as seen in the case of Porto Alegre ERB's local law.

A vegetação é de grande importância para a qualidade ambiental das cidades. As áreas verdes urbanas (parques, praças, jardins, arborização viária, áreas protegidas) contribuem para a melhoria do clima local, o equilíbrio do regime hídrico, a proteção de áreas de fragilidade ambiental, o conforto térmico das edificações, o embelezamento da paisagem, bem como para o bem-estar da população. As áreas verdes disponibilizam espaços para o lazer, esportes, recreação e contemplação e são significativas para a socialização e integração dos cidadãos. Com o crescimento do processo de urbanização, é fundamental que as cidades sejam um lugar saudável e acolhedor para os seus habitantes e, para tanto, cada vez mais o planejamento urbano passa a ser necessário e fundamental. No Brasil, tanto na esfera federal, como na municipal, não existem regras legais claras, nem políticas públicas continuadas para o planejamento de áreas verdes urbanas. O presente trabalho faz o levantamento e análise da legislação federal e municipal (das capitais de Estado), urbanística e ambiental, que estabelece normas para o planejamento e gestão de áreas verdes e de sistemas de áreas verdes urbanas O modelo de análise utilizado foi o de pesquisa aplicada, qualitativa, descritiva e documental. Tem o objetivo de trazer subsídios para a discussão de uma legislação federal que norteie os municípios a planejarem os seus sistemas de áreas verdes, de modo que alguns parâmetros básicos sejam aplicados em todas as cidades brasileiras. Conclui-se que não existem regras unificadas, que a União repassa grande parte da responsabilidade da normatização referente ao tema aos municípios e que, como consequência, ocorrem grandes variações nas legislações existentes nas capitais avaliadas. Pode-se concluir, ainda, que o planejamento da vegetação no espaço urbano efetivamente deve ser realizado na forma de sistema de áreas verdes, para que as funções socioambientais das mesmas sejam distribuídas pela cidade e integradas no tecido urbano de forma acessível e disponível para todos. Com base na análise das leis existentes sobre sistemas municipais de áreas verdes, o trabalho traz subsídios para a normatização do tema apresentando alguns parâmetros referentes à definição de área verde e sistema de área verde, objetivos e diretrizes do sistema, composição, função e classificação, bem como financiamento e gestão do sistema. / Vegetation has a great importance for the city environmental quality. Urban green areas (parks, squares, gardens and protected green areas) contributes to improve the local climate, equilibrate the water cycle, protect fragile areas, control buildings temperature, creates beautiful landscape, as well as improves welfare of population. Green areas disposes space for leisure, sports, recreation and contemplation and are very meaningful for socialization and integration of citizens. With the growing of the urbanization process, it is fundamental that cities become a healthy and welcoming place for its inhabitants and for that, urban planning becomes more necessary and fundamental. In Brazil, also in federal and municipal scale, there are no clear legal norms, neither continued public policies, for the planning of urban green areas. The present study makes the survey and analysis of federal and municipal (of the state capitals), urbanistic and environmental laws, that establishes norms for the planning and management of green areas and green areas systems. The applied research model was a qualitative, descriptive and documentary analysis. The study has the aim to contribute for the construction of a federal law that guides the municipality by the planning of its green areas systems, so that some basic parameters are used by all cities The study concludes that there are no unified rules, that the federal government passes to the municipality the responsibility of making the laws relating to the theme and that, as consequence, there are big variations in the existing legislations of the studied cities. The study also concludes that the planning of vegetation in urban space effectively must be done in form of green areas systems, so that the social and environmental functions of them can be distributed throughout the town and be integrated in accessible and available form with the urban tissue. Based on the research of existing laws, the study brings contributions for the construction of norms for urban green areas systems presenting some parameters about definitions of green areas and green areas systems, aims and policies, composition, functions and classification as well as financing and management of the system.

Agência Nacional do Petróleo / Financiadora de Estudos e Projetos / O contexto da modernização reflexiva leva ao questionamento sobre o papel das instituições tradicionais, notadamente o Poder Executivo. É possível pressupor que o modelo da sociedade de risco se reflete em alterações no direito e na economia do Brasil. Os riscos tornaram-se uma constante e exigem substituições nas formas de atuação social, o que Ulrich Beck denomina de subpolítica. A mudança é sentida especialmente em setores centrais para economia, tais como o de petróleo e gás, enquanto os riscos globais são sentidos na crise ambiental. Uma vez que as instituições, na Sociedade de Risco, são levadas a rever sua atuação, o empresariado recebe a tarefa de encontrar mecanismos para superar a crise ambiental. A responsabilidade socioambiental da empresa passa a ser exigida como contrapartida pelos lucros obtidos, especialmente para atividades potencialmente poluentes, como a petrolífera. O princípio da precaução, o desenvolvimento sustentável e a equação financeira do contrato podem ser vetores para a adoção da responsabilidade socioambiental pela indústria petrolífera. Mas para que esta possa ser vista como uma nova razão pública deve se demonstrar que ela pode motivar a evolução da sociedade como um todo. A Rio+20 definiu a economia verde como uma nova meta, principalmente para as atividades potencialmente poluentes. O objetivo central do trabalho é investigar a regulação das empresas de petróleo e gás, especialmente sobre a possibilidade de adoção da responsabilidade socioambiental. Ressalte-se que esta visa impor medidas de conservação e ações pró meio ambiente, além daquelas já estipuladas por força legal ou pelo licenciamento ambiental. A pesquisa visa apresentar possíveis soluções para os questionamentos acima, garantindo segurança jurídica para empresas de petróleo e gás, mas ao mesmo tempo visando ampliar a sustentabilidade do setor, propondo novas regras que podem ser adotadas nos editais de licitação e nos contratos de concessão e partilha de produção. Em um momento que se debate a possibilidade de direcionamento dos royalties do petróleo exclusivamente para a educação o estudo de medidas jurídicas para implementar a responsabilidade socioambiental no setor petrolífero torna-se ainda mais necessária. / The context of reflexive modernization leads to question the role of traditional institutions, especially the Executive Power. It can be assumed that the model of risk society is reflected in changes in the law and economics of Brazil. The risks have become a constant and require replacements in the forms of social action, something Ulrich Beck calls subpolitics. The change is felt especially in sectors central to the economy, such as oil and gas, while the overall risks are felt in the environmental crisis. The change is felt especially in sectors central to the economy, such as oil and gas, while the overall risks are felt in the environmental crisis. Once institutions in Risk Society are taken to review its operations, the business receives the task of finding mechanisms to overcome the environmental crisis. The environmental responsibility of the companies will be required in return for the profits, especially for potentially polluting activities such as oil. . The precautionary principle, sustainable development and financial equation of the contract can be vectors for the adoption of environmental responsibility by the oil industry. But for it to be seen as a new public reason it must be shown that it can motivate the evolution of society as a whole. Rio+20 defined green economy as a new goal, especially in what concerns the potentially polluting activities. The main objective of this study is to investigate the regulation of oil and gas companies, especially about the possibility of adoption of environmental responsibility. It should be noted that it is intended to impose conservation and pro environment measures and actions, in addition to those already stipulated for legal or environmental licensing As secondary objectives are the analysis and a critique of social and environmental responsibility as public reason, the possibility of joint liability of financial institutions in compensation for environmental damage caused by the projects of oil and gas that they fund, and the study of environmental compensation under Law No. 9.985/2000 for the oil sector. The research aims to present possible solutions to the questions above, ensuring legal certainty for oil and gas companies, but at the same time seeks to increase the sustainability of the sector by proposing new rules that may be adopted in the bidding documents and concession contracts and sharing production. In times when the debate of the possibility of targeting the oil royalties is exclusively for education the study of legal measures to implement social and environmental responsibility in the oil sector becomes even more necessary

Orientador: Professor Dr. Francisco de Assis Comaru / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Federal do ABC, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Planejamento e Gestão do Território, 2016. / O bairro de Vila Nova Cachoeirinha tem vocação para a notoriedade acadêmica. Foi tema de teses e dissertações entre os anos de 1989 e 2007 devido às experiências habitacionais ali implantadas, do canteiro de ajuda-mútua nos moldes uruguaios até os mutirões da década de 1990. Por meio das narrativas de autores como Reinach (1984), Yamaguti (2003), Baravelli (2007), Santo Amore (2005), e de depoimentos de moradores, advogados, promotoria e técnicos, tomamos conhecimento da história de lutas, conquistas e dificuldades enfrentadas por um grupo de pessoas que, rompendo a forma tradicional de construção de habitação popular praticada no Brasil até final da década de 1970, aceitaram o desafio de construir suas casas com suas próprias forças de trabalho. Neste trabalho, o bairro é novamente visitado nove anos depois, e utiliza-se o recorte temporal de 1998 a 2016, para que, desta vez, a partir da análise de ações judiciais e da atuação de operadores do Direito, seja contada a história de como tais experiências habitacionais foram postas em risco em função da descoberta de que o terreno sobre o qual estavam sendo erguidas encontra-se contaminado por inadequada disposição de resíduos sólidos ¿ dos quais a Prefeitura tinha ciência. Ao desenvolver a narrativa sobre a história desse triste episódio de ineficiência do Poder Público, no uso do solo e da infraestrutura urbana, são abordados temas como comunicação de risco, institutos jurídicos como regularização fundiária e instrumentos processuais como a importância da inspeção judicial. Assim, a partir do estudo de caso, espera-se que o diagnóstico realizado possa servir para ampliar a visibilidade do tema do direito à moradia digna e habitação social, servindo para orientar futuras condutas dos operadores do Direito. / The district of Vila Nova Cachoeirinha is intended for academic notoriety. It was the subject of theses and dissertations between the years 1989 and 2007 because of the housing experiences there deployed, from the self-help site on Uruguayans molds to the joint efforts of the 90s. Through narratives of authors such as Reinach (1984), Yamaguti (2003), Baravelli (2007), Santo Amore (2005) and personal testimonials of residents, lawyers, prosecutors and technicians, we learn the history of struggles, achievements and difficulties faced by a group of people who, breaking with the traditional way of popular housing construction practiced in Brazil until the late 70s, they accepted the challenge to build their houses with their own workforces. In this work the neighborhood is again visited nine years later and using the time frame 1998-2016, for this time, from the analysis of lawsuits and legal professionals acting, is told the story of how such housing experiences were put at risk because of the discovery that the land on which they were being built, is contaminated by improper disposal of solid waste, of which the City was aware. In developing the narrative of the history of this sad example of the inefficiency of the government in land use and urban infrastructure are addressed topics such as risk communication, legal institutions such as land tenure and procedural instruments such as the importance of judicial inspection. So from the case study, it is expected that the diagnosis made will serve to increase the visibility right theme to decent housing and social housing, serving to guide future conduct for law professionals.