Tocantins performs well in access to justice, but receives a zero score in protection of environmental defenders
Tocantins scored 30 points on the Environmental Democracy Index, ranking seventh among the states of the Legal Amazon. Its overall performance was classified as "poor" and marked by contrasts: while it excels in Access to Environmental Justice, it has the worst results in Access to Environmental Information and Protection of Environmental Defenders.
The Access to Environmental Justice dimension was the main strength, with 60.7 points ("good"), being one of only four states to achieve this rating.
In Access to Participation, Tocantins scored 32.4 points ("bad"), which demonstrates the need for improvements in the functioning of the state environmental council, conservation unit councils and public environmental licensing hearings.
The most critical situation is in the dimensions Access to Environmental Information (27.2 points) and Protection of Environmental Defenders (0 points), the worst scores in the state. Tocantins was not transparent in any of the 29 categories of information evaluated, with incomplete, outdated data or data in formats that make it difficult to reuse in only 11 of them. In addition, it was the only state to score zero in the protection dimension, for not presenting a program or any mechanism aimed at the safety of environmental defenders.
Highlights of the Tocantins evaluation:
- Final score: 30 points - "bad" rating
- 7th place among the states of the Legal Amazon
- Best performance in Access to Environmental Justice (60.7 points - "good")
- Poor performance in Access to Participation (32.4 points) and Access to Environmental Information (27.2 points)
- Poor performance in Protecting Environmental Defenders (0 points)
- Positive points: specialized structures in justice system bodies
- Weaknesses: and lack of a program and other protection mechanisms for environmental defenders
