The environment in <i>Petrobrás</i> magazine (1961-1979): Meaning mobilized by corporate discourse

Oliveira, Lídia; Almeida, Janaína; Caria, Ana

doi:10.7819/rbgn.v25i1.4215

Lídia Oliveira

definition of research problem

development of hypotheses or research questions (empirical studies)

development of theoretical propositions (theoretical work)

definition of methodological procedures

data collection

analysis and interpretation of data

critical revision of the manuscript

manuscript writing

University of Minho, School of Economics and Management, Department of Management, Braga, Portugal

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4377-6357

Janaína Almeida

definition of research problem

development of hypotheses or research questions (empirical studies)

definition of methodological procedures

data collection

analysis and interpretation of data

manuscript writing

Federal University of Tocantins, Accounting Department, Palmas, TO, Brazil

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7555-8469

Ana Caria

definition of research problem

development of hypotheses or research questions (empirical studies)

definition of methodological procedures

analysis and interpretation of data

critical revision of the manuscript

manuscript writing

University of Minho, School of Economics and Management, Department of Management, Braga, Portugal

https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6579-1681

Responsible editor:

Natalia Rese

Reviewers:

Luiz Gustavo Lara; The other reviewer did not want his name used

Conflicts of interest:

The authors have no conflict of interest to declare.

Authors:

1. Lídia Oliveira, PhD in Business Sciences-Specialization in Accounting, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal.

E-mail: lidiaoliv@eeg.uminho.pt

2. Janaína Almeida, PhD in Accounting from the University of Minho, Braga, Portugal, Federal University of Tocantins, Palmas, Brazil.

E-mail: janainaborges@mail.uft.edu.br

3. Ana Caria, PhD in Business Sciences, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal.

E-mail: aalexandra@eeg.uminho.pt

Authors' contributions:

1^st author: definition of research problem; development of hypotheses or research questions (empirical studies); development of theoretical propositions (theoretical work); definition of methodological procedures; data collection; analysis and interpretation of data; critical revision of the manuscript; manuscript writing.2^nd author: definition of research problem; development of hypotheses or research questions (empirical studies); definition of methodological procedures; data collection; analysis and interpretation of data; manuscript writing.3^rd author: definition of research problem; development of hypotheses or research questions (empirical studies); definition of methodological procedures; analysis and interpretation of data; critical revision of the manuscript; manuscript writing.

Modes	Strategies
Legitimization	Rationalization
(the relations of domination can be established and sustained by the fact they are represented as fair and worthy of support)	(development of a rationale that seeks to defend/justify a set of social relations or institutions as worthy of support)
	Universalization
	(interests of certain individuals/groups are presented as serving the interests of all)
	Narrativization
	(stories tell the past and treat the present as part of an acceptable eternal tradition)
Dissimulation	Displacement
(concealment, denial or obscuration, or deviation of attention or overriding existing relationships/processes)	(a particular object or person is used to refer to another, transferring the positive or negative connotations to another object or person)
	Euphemization
	(description of actions, institutions, or social relations arousing a positive valuation)
	Trope
	(figurative use of language, particularly the synecdoche, metonymn, or metaphor)
Unification	Standardization
(symbolic construction of unity of individuals in a collective identity)	(creation of a collective identity through the association of a shared and acceptable standard reference)
	Symbolization of unity
	(construction of symbols of unity, identity, and collective identification, which can be linked to the narrativization process)
Fragmentation	Differentiation
(segmentation of individuals/groups that can build a real effective challenge to dominant groups)	(differences and divisions between people and groups are emphasized)
	Expurgation of the other
	(building of an enemy, internal or external, portrayed as evil, dangerous, and threatening and against which individuals are called on to expunge)
Reification	Naturalization
(portrayal of a transitory, historical situation as permanent, natural, atemporal)	(socio-historical phenomena treated as natural events or as an inevitable result of natural characteristics)
	Eternalization
	(socio-historical phenomena considered as permanent, immutable, and recurrent)
	Nominalization/passivization
	(representation of processes as things/events that occur in the absence of a subject that produces things through, respectively, the transformation of a phrase or part of a nominal syntagma, or when the verbs are placed in the passive voice)

1960s
Law n. 4,771/1965, of 09/15 – Forest Code: Important instrument in the protection of hydric resources, indirectly having the role of protecting the quality and quantity of waters, determining minimal levels of protection for forests and other forms of vegetation situated along rivers, water courses, streams, reservoirs, lakes, and lagoons. (Brasil, 1965Brasil. (1965). Institui o novo Código Florestal (Lei nº 4.771, de 15 de setembro de 1965). Diário Oficial da República Federativa do Brasil. https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/l4771.htm https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/le... )
Law n. 5,197/1967, of 01/03 – Fauna Protection Law: Wild fauna came to be considered a common use good, under the immediate ownership of the Union. (Brasil, 1967bBrasil. (1967b). Dispõe sobre a proteção à fauna e dá outras providências (Lei n° 5.197, de 3 de janeiro de 1967). Diário Oficial da República Federativa do Brasil.https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/leis/l5197.htm https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/le... )
Decree-law n. 303/1967, 02/28 – Creation of the National Council for the Control of Environmental Pollution: Revoked after Law n. 5,318/1967 (Brasil, 1967aBrasil. (1967a). Cria o Conselho Nacional de Contrôle da Poluição Ambiental e dá outras providências (Decreto-lei nº 303, de 28 de fevereiro de 1967). Diário Oficial da República Federativa do Brasil. https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/decreto-lei/1965-1988/del0303.htm https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/de... ). It covered standards and limits for pollution (e.g. art 2 “liquid or solid waste or any state of material derived from industrial activities… can only be released into receiving waters if these do not become polluted…”; art. 3 “the substances emitted by any type of industrial source…, can only be released into the atmosphere if it does not become polluted.” According to Arantes (2018)Arantes, M. R. L. (2018). A legislação ambiental brasileira do império ao terceiro milênio: Premissas técnicas. Caminhos De Geografia, 19(66), 325-344. http://dx.doi.org/10.14393/RCG196623. http://dx.doi.org/10.14393/RCG196623... , the norm reveals a lack of technical preparation in its elaboration, which is of a strictly legislative nature, since the insufficiency of existing instruments defines the invalidity of its applicability.
Law n. 5,318/1967, September 26^th - Establishes the National Sanitation Policy and creates the National Sanitation Council: Highlights that the National Sanitation Policy will cover the control of environmental pollution (Brasil, 1967cBrasil. (1967c). Institui a Política Nacional de Saneamento e cria o Conselho Nacional de Saneamento (Lei nº 5.318, de 26 de setembro de 1967). Diário Oficial da República Federativa do Brasil. https://www2.camara.leg.br/legin/fed/lei/1960-1969/lei-5318-26-setembro-1967-359153-publicacaooriginal-1-pl.html https://www2.camara.leg.br/legin/fed/lei... ).
1970s
Decree n. 73,030/1973, of 10/30 (Brasil, 1973Brasil. (1973). Cria, no âmbito do Ministério do Interior, a Secretaria Especial do Meio Ambiente - SEMA, e da outras providências (Decreto nº 73.030, de 30 de Outubro de 1973). Diário Oficial da República Federativa do Brasil. https://www2.camara.leg.br/legin/fed/decret/1970-1979/decreto-73030-30-outubro-1973-421650-publicacaooriginal-1-pe.html https://www2.camara.leg.br/legin/fed/dec... ) – Creation of the Special Secretariat for the Environment: Linked to the Interior Ministry and responsible for the execution of environmental promotion actions.
Decree-law n. 1,413/1975, of 07/31 (Brasil, 1975bBrasil. (1975b). Dispõe sobre o controle da poluição do meio ambiente provocada por atividades industriais (Decreto-lei nº 1.413, de 31 de julho de 1975). Diário Oficial da República Federativa do Brasil. https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/decreto-lei/1965-1988/del1413.htm https://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/de... ) – Control of Environmental Pollution Caused by Industrial Activities: Its art. 1 determines that the industries installed or that will be installed in the national territory are obliged to provide the necessary measures to prevent or correct inconveniences and damage caused by pollution and contamination of the environment, using adequate control equipment, including with special funding to acquire it and support from the government. In the case of non-observance of the arrangements of art. 1, it is the exclusive responsibility of the Federal Executive Power to “determine the suspension or cancellation of the functioning of an industrial establishment whose activity is considered of high interest to national development and security” (art. 2).
Decree n. 76,389/1975, of 10/03 (Brasil, 1975aBrasil. (1975a). Dispõe sobre as medidas de prevenção e controle da poluição industrial, de que trata o Decreto-Lei nº 1.413, de 14 de agosto de 1975, e dá outras providências (Decreto nº 76.389, de 3 de outubro de 1975). Diário Oficial da República Federativa do Brasil. https://www2.camara.leg.br/legin/fed/decret/1970-1979/decreto-76389-3-outubro-1975-424990-publicacaooriginal-1-pe.html https://www2.camara.leg.br/legin/fed/dec... ) – Measures for the Prevention and Control of Industrial Pollution: Discusses measures for the prevention and control of industrial pollution, addressed by Decree-law n. 1,413/75, and sets out other arrangements. Its art. 1 defines industrial pollution, highlighting the direct or indirect effects that are harmful to the health, safety, and wellbeing of the population, the creation of conditions that are adverse to social and economic activities, and the production of relevant damage to flora, fauna, and other national resources. Art. 5 establishes that “Besides the penalties defined by the state and municipal legislation, non-compliance with the necessary measures… will subject the transgressors to: a) the restriction of tax incentives and benefits granted by the public authorities; b) the restriction of lines of financing in the establishment of official credit; c) the suspension of their activities.

Date	Publication	Title	Accusations
02/21/1961	Jornal do Brasil	“Breathing is forbidden”	The refineries are mentioned as polluters.
03/03/1961	Jornal do Brasil	“A little more salary is worth the risk of losing one’s life”	Oil refinery workers are subject to serious diseases that can cost them their lives.
03/09/1967	Jornal do Brasil	“SURSAN installs in Castelo a device to verify the air pollution in the river”	Rio de Janeiro is one of the cities with the most atmospheric pollution in the world.
05/12/1967	Jornal do Brasil	“First air pollution test shows that smoke from buses affects health”	Companies whose activities were causing odors in the Avenida Brasil region, including refineries, are subject to inspection.
04/18/1969	Correio da Manhã	“Air pollution worsens and Government fails to punish culprits”	The particulate matter emitted by refineries is among the reasons for the worsening air pollution in cities such as São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro.
07/03/1969	Jornal do Brasil	“IES thinks it’s combatting polluted air well”	On the list of big companies that hinder the work of air pollution inspectors are government refineries.
05/14/1970	Jornal do Brasil	“The dangerous air of progress”	Two oil refineries, one belonging to Petrobras, are major sources of air pollution.
12/18/1970	Jornal do Brasil	“Dehydration in December killed 62 children in São Paulo and 27 in the state of Rio”	Petrobras refinery indicated as a causer of worsening air pollution, one of the causes of dehydration, which killed children in Brazilian cities.
06/30/1972	Correio da Manhã	“Intoxication, a new threat to Ilha”	A breach on an auxiliary line of the Petrobrás pipeline; the low humidity caused intoxication.
07/01/1972	Correio da Manhã	“Pollution: two meter stains”	Breach on the Petrobras pipeline: waters of the bay, on Ilha do Governador, covered in oil, with consequences for fishermen.
07/02/1972	Jornal do Brasil	“Petrobrás is already clearing oil from the bay”	Oil breach on Petrobras pipeline polluted Guanabara Bay, with consequences for bathers and fishermen.
04/01/1975	Jornal do Brasil	“Petrobrás sprays dispersant over oil polluting the bay”	Serious accident in Guanabara Bay involved Iraqi oil tanker carrying oil for Petrobras.
08/07/1976	Jornal do Brasil	“Ships that spill oil in the Bay were fined Cr$980 thousand in seven months”	Spending on cleaning up oil came to almost Cr$1.6 million, in 1975.

[1] Responsible editor:

Natalia Rese

Brasil

Brasil

The environment in Petrobrás magazine (1961-1979): Meaning mobilized by corporate discourse

Abstract

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