A recent survey highlighted that Rio de Janeiro is the only capital in Brazil where the environmental agency's role is restricted to monitoring environmental licenses rather than issuing them. As per the municipal decree established in 2021 during Mayor Eduardo Paes's administration, the responsibility for analyzing licenses for projects and constructions was transferred to the Municipal Secretariat of Urban Development, while the Secretary of the Environment was only retained for supervision purposes.

This contrasts with the practice in the other 25 capitals and the Federal District in Brazil, where environmental licensing remains under the jurisdiction of dedicated environmental agencies. In fact, the survey reveals that in 20 capital cities, environmental licensing is directly handled by specialized environmental departments or integrated administrative structures that encompass environmental oversight alongside other areas.

The implications of this governance structure raise concerns about environmental protection in Rio de Janeiro, as it may lead to less stringent oversight of projects that impact the environment. Furthermore, this shift could be seen as a trend that prioritizes urban development over ecological safeguards, posing potential risks of degradation in ecosystems due to insufficient regulatory mechanisms in place.