Instituições para regulação ambiental: o processo de licenciamento ambiental em quatro países produtores de hidreletricidade

In the final decades of the twentieth century, the scenario of environmental degradation spurred the establishment of standards and instruments that affect the viability of infrastructure for the analysis of environmental aspects in addition to the technical and economical aspects commonly evaluated. The Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is one of these instruments. The article presents a comparative analysis of the licensing process for hydroelectric plants in Brazil, the United States, Canada and China. The objective is to evaluate the tools used in energy planning in comparative perspective, in order to identify lessons that could be absorbed by the Brazilian institutional framework. Through this analysis, it is possible to verify that the processes of environmental licensing in different countries are similar in their origins, developments, structure and defects. However, lessons can be drawn for the Brazilian reality in view of the results and the need for strengthening this institutional frame