Environmental Licensing in Mozambique: Why is it Important to Consider Creating a Database and Ensuring Improved Social Participation?

Objective: The aim of this study was to identify possible gaps and opportunities in Mozambique's environmental legislation in order to point out opportunities for optimizing the environmental regularization of enterprises and activities that degrade the environment. Theoretical Framework: In this research we list the main opportunities for improvement in Mozambican environmental legislation on the licensing of projects, based on global experiences. Thus, we studied the main environmental laws in force in the country and sought to draw from them the following key aspects: institutions that intervene in the licensing process, guidelines, government databases, integration between planning instruments, types of environmental licenses, environmental impact assessment, strategic environmental assessment, environmental compensation, duration of the process, and the participation of society during environmental audits. Method: This study was based on a descriptive documentary analysis, according to the methodology of Gil (2002). The following steps were followed: identification of normative instruments, survey of key issues, comparison with the practices of other countries, and, finally, outlining aspects for potential improvement, taking into account the legislation in application in the G7 and BRICS. Results and Discussion: Our results indicated that, in general terms, Mozambican legislation does not differ from that applied in the G7 and BRICS countries in regards to the involvement of various institutions in environmental licensing, the existence of guidelines, the application of environmental impact assessment, environmental compensation, and the participation of society. In this sense, we discuss opportunities for improvements to be implemented in Mozambican public policies. Research Implications: The practical and theoretical implications of this research are discussed, providing insights into how the results can be applied or influence the analysis time of the environmental regularization licensing process. We also observed the lack of a database available for public access, the absence of strategic environmental assessment, and the lack of integration between planning instruments in current legislation. The lack of these instruments contributes to possible environmental and socio-economic liabilities. Originality/Value: This study contributes to the literature by explaining the importance of creating and implementing a robust and intelligent database available for public access on a geospatial platform. It also contributes to the inclusion of public participation, both in person and online, in public hearings on the environmental regularization of projects and their respective activities that cause environmental, social, and economic impacts when not assessed and mitigated.