The second phase of the Green Coast Environmental Education Project (in portuguese, Projeto de Educação Ambiental Costa Verde, PEA) has begun, and the educators are already in contact with the communities participating in the project. To facilitate and align this new phase main points, the team from the Observatory of Sustainable and Healthy Territories of Bocaina (in portuguese, Observatório de Territórios Sustentáveis e Saudáveis da Bocaina - OTSS/Fiocruz) has organized a “Chegança” Kit composed of a documentary, a podcast, and a guide explaining what the PEA Costa Verde is and how it will take place in the 111 member communities over the next five years.

The implementation of the Costa Verde Environmental Education Project (PEA Costa Verde) is a mitigation measure required by the federal environmental licensing, conducted by the Brazilian Institute of Environment and Renewable Natural Resources (in portuguese Instituto Brasileiro do Meio Ambiente e dos Recursos Naturais Renováveis - Ibama). The second phase of the Green Coast PEA takes place in the northern coast regions of São Paulo: Ubatuba, Caraguatatuba, São Sebastião, and Ilhabela; and on the southern coast of Rio de Janeiro: Mangaratiba, Angra dos Reis and Paraty. 

This second phase is a partnership with Fiotec/Fiocruz (represented by OTSS/Fiocruz); the Traditional Communities Forum of Angra dos Reis, Paraty, and Ubatuba (in portuguese, o Fórum de Comunidades Tradicionais de Angra dos Reis, Paraty e Ubatuba); the Fluminense Federal University (UFF); and the São Paulo State University "Júlio de Mesquita Filho" (Unesp). In all, there are 42 popular educators divided into teams and meso-territories, who have been preparing themselves since the year beginning, going through numerous training courses and studies about the territory covered by this PEA Costa Verde second phase. 

Throughout the content (podcast and video), representatives of the institutions responsible for managing and carrying out the PEA Costa Verde, explain the second phase and how the activities are being designed for this beginning. Indira Alves, the PEA Costa Verde coordinator, recalls that the project is part of the environmental legislation: "the PEA is an imposition, a IBAMA condition to reduce the oil exploration impacts in the Santos Basin. The goal of the project is to strengthen and encourage environmental management of the communities in their territories". 

Fisherwoman Ana Flavia Salai reinforces that the main goal of the PEA Costa Verde is a collective achievement that "guarantees qualified participation in the fight for the rights and preservation of territories, especially fishing practices (artisanal, urban, and traditional).

Source: Fiocruz News Agency (AFN).