DEVELOPMENT, INFRASTRUCTURE AND SUSTAINABILITY: THE ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS OF THE PERIPHERAL CONDITION

The research addresses the relevant theories of the current Brazilian development model, focusing specifically on the authors of Latin America structuralism. Then, it defines a conceptual framework and outlines a brief history of the infrastructure in Brazil from 1930 to 1964. After that, it enters into the current environmental rules applicable to Brazil, as well as addresses the concepts that relate infrastructure to the environmental direct and indirect costs. Finally, it outlines the primitive accumulation of capital in Brazil. The purpose of the research is to understand the correlation between the Brazilian peripheral status and the environmental issue. This condition makes the internalization of decision-making centers crucial to the development of the country. This contrast between center and periphery is relevant to the environmental issues because peripheral countries do not have the autonomy to regulate environmental issues according to their interests due to their relation of submission to the interests of the central countries. Therefore, the environmental debate necessarily should go through the search for overcoming underdevelopment. Starting From such premises, the conclusion of the research is unusual: the only way for a possible sustainable development in Brazil is through a better infrastructure and industrialization