Environmental Governance and Degradation Dynamics in the Cerrado – Brazilian Biome: Empirical and Institutional Evidence in the State of Tocantins

Abstract

Environmental degradation in tropical biomes has become one of the main contemporary challenges, requiring integrated institutional responses based on evidence. This article analyzes the dynamics of environmental degradation in the Cerrado biome, with an emphasis on the state of Tocantins, during the period between 2013 and 2023. The investigation is based on the finding that deforestation, wildfires, and environmental infractions show significant recurrence in this territory, forming spatiotemporal patterns that demand greater institutional coordination and the strengthening of environmental governance. The research adopts a mixed methodological approach, integrating content analysis and statistical techniques, based on secondary data extracted from government websites and platforms that provide auditable and open-access data. The data were organized into time series, converted and standardized to ensure comparability among the analyzed indicators. The results highlight the significant contribution of the state of Tocantins to vegetation suppression processes in the Cerrado (Brazilian biome), both in deforested area and in burned extent, in addition to the concentration of environmental infraction notices issued in the federative unit. Limitations were also identified in the structure of administrative records, such as overlapping codifications and terminological inconsistencies, which compromise the categorization of infringing conduct. The analysis reinforces the need to strengthen environmental governance through integration among federative entities, the qualification of monitoring systems, and the formulation of territorially focused public policies based on technical evidence and aimed at the conservation of the Cerrado (Brazilian biome) ecosystems.