ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION OF PALEOECOSYSTEMS OF SÃO FRANCISCO RIVER, BRAZIL IN THE LIGHT OF ENVIRONMENTAL LAW

Purpose: The study analyzed the contribution of environmental law through legal protection in the conservation of the natural heritage of the Sao Francisco River, with a view to mitigating the anthropogenic impacts suffered by these paleoecosystems. Theoretical framework: Originating from the need to create legal norms to protect and conserve the environment and natural heritage, Environmental Law has become effective in preventing the uncontrolled advance of the means of production and occupation of protected areas. Method/design/approach: A Systematic Literature Review was carried out, following stages and criteria: (1) research objective; (2) research question; (3) sources of information; (4) search strategy; (5) strategy for selecting publications; (6) quality criteria; (7) criteria for including and excluding publications; (8) criteria for extracting data; (9) strategy for synthesizing data; (10) description and publication. Results and conclusion: The findings of the research indicate the indispensability of Environmental Law for the protection of the natural environment, and the relevance of environmental legal protection for the legal regulation of environmental impacts caused to natural heritage, especially the implementation, conceptualization of specific and dangerous crimes and infractions, and the penalties for each. Research implications: The analysis of the contribution of environmental law is essential as a diagnosis of the state of conservation and the capacity to mitigate anthropogenic impacts on the paleoecosystems of the Sao Francisco River. Originality value: National environmental policies must help protect the elements that make human survival possible, regulating ecological issues and seeking to achieve standards that are essential to the quality of life on the planet.