Climate Challenges and sustainability in Porto Velho (2014–2024)

the role of the Public Prosecutor’s Office of Rondônia in promoting environmental governance

Abstract

The article examines the socio-environmental challenges faced by the municipality of Porto Velho between 2014 and 2024, characterized by historic floods of the Madeira River, prolonged droughts, and intense wildfires, exacerbated by anthropogenic pressures and climate change. These events significantly affected public health, the local economy, and regional ecosystems, demanding more coordinated institutional responses. Within this context, the study analyzes the role of the Public Prosecutor’s Office of Rondônia (MPRO) in addressing these challenges, assessing the legal instruments employed, their effectiveness, and the limitations observed in promoting socio-environmental justice. A qualitative legal approach was adopted, combining bibliographic review and documentary analysis of technical reports, institutional data, public civil actions (ACPs), and terms of conduct adjustment (TACs). The findings reveal that, although the MPRO achieved relevant progress and favorable judicial rulings, the effectiveness of TACs was constrained by procedural delays and insufficient interinstitutional coordination. It concludes that the consolidation of socio-environmental justice requires the enhancement of the MPRO’s structural action, with contingency reserves for climate emergencies, technological monitoring systems, and effective community participation.