Revitalização dos igarapés de Manaus: o papel da educação ambiental como um instrumento de concretização de direitos transindividuais

Abstract

Historically essential to the territorial, social, and cultural organization of the Amazonian capital, the igarapés have been profoundly affected by urbanization models that disregarded the ecological characteristics of the region. This process has resulted in landfilling, channelization, water pollution, loss of biodiversity, and the intensification of socioenvironmental inequalities. The lack of adequate basic sanitation, the irregular occupation of riverbanks, the improper disposal of waste, and administrative discontinuity have contributed to worsening the degradation, exposing entire communities to environmental and health risks. This research seeks to analyze the degradation and revitalization of the igarapés of Manaus from the perspective of transindividual rights, urban environmental management, and environmental education as a structuring instrument for sustainability. To this end, it examines various public programs, as well as community-based and school initiatives that involve awareness-raising, reforestation, and participatory management. The study identifies advances in infrastructure and in the promotion of environmental awareness, but also limitations related to discontinuity, weak governance, and low social participation in certain decision-making stages. The study adopts the deductive method, with an exploratory and qualitative approach, grounded in bibliographical and documentary research, as well as in the analysis of data provided by municipal agencies responsible for environmental management and urban cleaning. The findings demonstrate that the revitalization of the igarapés depends on integrated public policies that combine sanitation, environmental restoration, proper waste management, effective oversight, and continuous environmental education—formal, nonformal, and informal. The study concludes that protecting and revitalizing these waterways means reaffirming the fundamental right to an ecologically balanced environment and promoting a more sustainable, resilient, and socially just model of urban development, capable of recognizing the city’s Amazonian identity and restoring its historical relationship with its waters.