The Brazilian Ministry of the Environment (MMA) was established in 1992. It's mission is to promote the adoption of principles and strategies for the protection and restoration of the environment; for the sustainable use of natural resources; for the valuing of environmental services; and for the inclusion of sustainable development in public policies, in a participative, democratic and transversal way, at all levels and instances of government and society.
The Ministry is responsible for addressing the following issues:
a national policy for the environment and for water resources;
a policy for the preservation, conservation and sustainable use of ecosystems, biodiversity and forests;
proposing strategies, mechanisms and economic and social instruments for improving environmental quality and for the sustainable use of natural resources;
policies for integrating production and the environment;
environmental policies and programmes for the Legal Amazon;
ecological and economic territorial zoning.