Governments and policy-makers are currently dealing with some key issues as energy security in countries dependent on oil imports; global economic development, including increased food production; and controlling global climate change and greenhouse gas emissions. The perception that biofuel could solve these challenges simultaneously has led to the implementation of policy and regulatory mechanisms on the mandatory use of biofuels, resulting in a sharp increase in biofuel production and consumption. Serious concerns about large-scale ethanol production have been raised regarding loss of biodiversity and competition for land between food and ethanol production. It is also suggested that sugarcane-based ethanol increases GHG emissions due to indirect land use change. Furthermore, sugarcane harvesting has been criticised for causing air pollution and bad working conditions for cutters. These criticisms have mostly been denied by Brazilian actors. This thesis seeks to clarify these divergent views and conflicts concerning Brazilian ethanol. It was carried out within a KTH research programme that uses frames in the analysis of conflicts emerging from the development and implementation of new technologies. Frame analysis can help improve understanding of such conflicts, which derive from differences in values, world views and beliefs and can be difficult to resolve. Frame analysis seeks to identify the particular factors determining the actions taken by different stakeholders, giving equal treatment to all actors. The results showed that the international views expressed in the media captured the attention of the public and policy-makers, and led them to frame ethanol as a destructive for nature fuel. The analysis identified that the ethanol as a threat to food security frame combined with the ethanol as a destructive for nature frame led the public and policy-makers to frame ethanol as a brown fuel. However, Brazilian actors frame ethanol differently: as a green and safe fuel. These differences have raised the conflicts that are analysed in this thesis. Furthermore, the analysis identified that the changes in the harvesting system, from manual to mechanised –besides decreasing air pollution- will cost the job of hundreds of thousands of cane cutters. Values and beliefs orientating such changes are analysed in the thesis. / QC 20110912

Submitted by Luciana Ferreira (lucgeral@gmail.com) on 2018-05-23T11:02:07Z No. of bitstreams: 2 Dissertação - Luana Rocha da Cunha Rosa - 2018.pdf: 2963447 bytes, checksum: 815df889754ae2ebd98618b9edc622ab (MD5) license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Luciana Ferreira (lucgeral@gmail.com) on 2018-05-23T11:47:42Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 2 Dissertação - Luana Rocha da Cunha Rosa - 2018.pdf: 2963447 bytes, checksum: 815df889754ae2ebd98618b9edc622ab (MD5) license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2018-05-23T11:47:42Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 2 Dissertação - Luana Rocha da Cunha Rosa - 2018.pdf: 2963447 bytes, checksum: 815df889754ae2ebd98618b9edc622ab (MD5) license_rdf: 0 bytes, checksum: d41d8cd98f00b204e9800998ecf8427e (MD5) Previous issue date: 2018-03-05 / Conselho Nacional de Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico - CNPq / Despite the impact of the hepatitis B virus (HBV) worldwide in diverse populations, investigations have focused on urban groups with few studies targeting the rural population. In Brazil, manual sugarcane cutters are rural workers exposed to multiple challenging conditions that increase their vulnerability to HBV. The objective of this study was to investigate the epidemiology of hepatitis B in manual sugar cane cutters from the States of Goiás and Paraíba. This is a multicentric analytical cross-sectional study carried out in the states of Goiás and Paraíba, in the Midwest and Northeast regions of Brazil, respectively. Data collection took place in 2016, and 937 sugarcane cutters aged 18 or over were recruited. All subjects were interviewed and tested for the detection of hepatitis B serological markers (HBsAg, anti-HBs and anti-HBc) by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Univariate and multivariate analyses with logistic regression were used to identify association between HBV exposure and sociodemographic and behavioral variables. This study was approved by the Research Ethics Committee of the Federal Universities of Goiás and Paraíba. All participants (n = 937) were male, mostly young adults (68.9%), with an average age of 35.4 years, and natives of the Northeast Region of the country (85.7%). Of the total, 78.8% reported monthly income less than BRL$2,000.00 (about USD$540) and almost half (47.4%) declared four years of education or less. Among the participants, 49.4% started sexual activity early, aged between 7 and 15 years; 77.2% reported history of alcohol use; 29.6% reported experience living in shared housing; 39.8% reported two or more sexual partners in the last year; and 46.5% reported not having used a condom in the same period. In addition, 45.8% shared sharp personal hygiene instruments; 55.0% reported previous hospitalization, and 53.9% had at least one work related accident. The overall prevalence of HBV exposure was 15.9% (95% CI: 13.7% - 18.4%). The HBsAg marker was detected in seven individuals, all of whom presented at least one risk behavior for hepatitis B. Only 20.6% (n = 193, 95% CI: 23.1% - 23.3%) tested positive for isolated anti-HBs, indicating previous vaccination. It was observed that reports of two or more sexual partners in the last 12 months and history of hospital admission (p<0.05) were predictors of HBV exposure, confirming these routes of parenteral and sexual transmission. These results demonstrate the need for effective hepatitis B prevention strategies among sugarcane cutters, focusing on timing, supply and administration of hepatitis B vaccine. / Apesar do grande impacto do vírus da hepatite B (HBV) em todo mundo, investigações têm se concentrado em grupos urbanos, sendo poucos estudos voltados para a população rural. No Brasil, os cortadores de cana-de-açúcar manual compõem um grupo de trabalhadores rurais expostos a um cenário multifatorial, que os tornam vulneráveis ao HBV. O objetivo deste estudo foi investigar a epidemiologia da hepatite B em cortadores de cana-de-açúcar manual dos Estados de Goiás e Paraíba. Trata-se de uma investigação multicêntrica, de corte transversal e analítico, realizada nos Estados de Goiás e Paraíba, Região Centro-Oeste e Nordeste do Brasil, respectivamente. A coleta de dados ocorreu em 2016 e foram recrutados 937 cortadores de cana-de-açúcar, com idade igual ou acima de 18 anos. Todos os indivíduosforam entrevistados e testados para a detecção dos marcadores sorológicos da hepatite B (HBsAg, anti-HBs e anti-HBc), por meio do ensaio imunoenzimático (ELISA). Análises univariada e múltipla, por meio da regressão logística, foram utilizadas para identificar associação entre exposição ao HBV e variáveis sociodemográficas e comportamentais. O presente estudo foi aprovado pelo Comitê de Ética em Pesquisa das Universidades Federais de Goiás e Paraíba. Todos os cortadores de cana (n=937) eram do sexo masculino, majoritariamente adultos jovens (68,9%), com idade média de 35,4 anos e naturais da Região Nordeste do país (85,7%). Do total, 78,8% referiram renda mensal inferior a R$ 2.000,00 (dois mil reais) e quase a metade dos participantes (47,4%) declarou quatro anos de estudo ou menos. Entre os participantes, 49,4% iniciaram a atividade sexual precocemente, com idade entre 7 e 15 anos; 77,2% relataram ingestão de bebida alcoólica; 29,6% informaram experiência em moradia compartilhada; 39,8% afirmaram dois ou mais parceiros sexuais no último ano; e 46,5% mencionaram não ter utilizado o preservativo em igual período. Além disso, 45,8% compartilharam material cortante de higiene; 55,0% referiram história de internação hospitalar e 53,9% sofreram acidente no trabalho. A prevalência global de exposição ao HBV foi de 15,9% (IC 95%: 13,7% - 18,4%). O marcador de infecção HBsAg foi detectado em sete indivíduos, todos apresentaram pelo menos um comportamento de risco para hepatite B. Somente 20,6% (n=193; IC 95%: 18,1% - 23,3%) apresentaram títulos de anti-HBs isolado, indicando vacinação prévia. Observou-se que relato de dois ou mais parceiros sexuais nos últimos doze meses e história de internação hospitalar (p<0,05) foram preditores para a exposição ao HBV, ratificando as vias de transmissão parenteral e sexual. Esses resultados mostram a necessidade de estratégias efetivas de prevenção da hepatite B entre os cortadores de cana, com foco na oportunidade, oferta e administração da vacina contra hepatite B.