A governança do plástico em Fortaleza: um exame dos elementos jurídicos e políticos a partir da conexão global-nacional-local

Abstract

Plastic constitutes a controversial symbol of the global ecological crisis, a problem of a transboundary, diffuse, and persistent nature. Its ecosystemic impacts, linked to climate change, and the growing damage to human health demand responses that the current fragmented and insufficient governance architecture does not offer. This thesis had the general objective of analyzing plastic governance in Fortaleza, based on its normative and institutional arrangements and the political-relational dynamics between state and non-state actors, in dialogue with the global and national levels. The research sought to identify legal deficiencies and political obstacles, proposing alternatives for its improvement. Based on the hypothesis that local failures reflect and are fueled by the contradictions of international governance, the methodology articulated the Law and Public Policies (LPP) approach and Public Policy Network Analysis (PPNA), through empirical research with key actors in Fortaleza. The results confirm that global governance is marked by the ineffectiveness of voluntary measures and the asymmetric use of power resources by the petrochemical industry, through bias mobilization, which delays regulatory advances. At the national level, there is no differentiated treatment or specific regulation for plastic, proving ineffective for its control and prevention. Locally, in Fortaleza, a lack of perception of the plastic problem as a public health issue was diagnosed, within an institutional arrangement reactively focused on urban cleaning and lacking the environmental/health element, accompanied by the discontinuity of public policies and fragile regulatory governance. It is concluded that the problem requires multilevel structural transformations, including a Global Treaty with binding targets and obligations based on ecological justice and common but differentiated responsibility, a National Plastic Management Plan (PNGP), and a Municipal "Plastic Zero" Plan (PMPZ), established by law. Overcoming the plastic crisis therefore requires the application of environmental legal principles in public policies and the transition to "strong sustainability," guided by an ecosystemic approach.