The environmental decentralization and the enforcement of Amazon deforestation

The objective of this paper is to discuss the environmental decentralization and its implications for environmental enforcement, especially against illegal deforestation in the Amazon. The methodological procedure adopted was based on the literature search, supplemented by data analysis of annual deforestation rates. It is concluded that 85,6% of the deforestation occurring in the Amazon is the competence of inspection is the states. However, who else performs the inspection of supplementary form is the federal environmental agency, which may compromise their capacity to meet their other demands. Therefore, it is necessary to invest in the structuring of state environmental agencies to work in the effective control of deforestation.