'The licensing legislation has been gutted,' says Marina Silva.
Brazil's Environment Minister warns of legal, economic, and environmental risks following the approval of a bill in the Chamber of Deputies in a crucial year for COP30.
247 - Brazil's Environment Minister, Marina Silva, described the Chamber of Deputies' approval of the environmental licensing bill as a true dismantling of the system. interview to the newspaper Valor EconômicoIn a statement published this Thursday (18), Marina denounced that Brazilian environmental legislation was “cut off” in a vote that took place during the early hours of the morning, on the eve of the parliamentary recess, with remote sessions and under strong pressure from economic sectors.
According to the minister, the impacts of the new legislation will be profound and encompass legal, environmental, economic, and social aspects. "It was a process that dismantled decades of building the legal framework for environmental protection in Brazil," she stated. Marina also warned about the weakening of Brazil's position in important international negotiations, such as the European Union-Mercosur agreement and COP30, which will be held in Belém.
Multiple risks and immediate losses
During the interview, Marina detailed the main drawbacks caused by the approval of the bill. The first, according to her, is the legal harm, since the measure revokes a legal framework that has been consolidated in the country for decades. "The bill was approved under completely atypical conditions and disregarded society's demands for a more in-depth debate," she criticized.
The minister also highlighted the environmental consequences of eliminating fundamental rules for the preservation of essential natural resources, such as water, forests, and biodiversity. "By compromising water resources in an agricultural country like Brazil, the economic damage will be immediate," she warned.
International pressure and threat to agribusiness.
Marina Silva also stressed that the dismantling of environmental protections puts Brazilian exports at risk, since the international market increasingly demands socio-environmental guarantees. "Environmental protection is a fundamental clause in the agreement with the European Union. What was approved creates the perfect argument for those who resist the agreement, weakening Brazil's image," she explained.
She also pointed out the contradiction of the United States government, presided over by Donald Trump, which threatens to tax Brazilian products under the pretext of environmental issues. "They use the argument of deforestation when, in the previous period, which Trump supported, deforestation was completely out of control," Marina criticized.
Presidential veto is not enough, says minister.
When questioned about the next steps, Marina revealed that the government is legally studying the best way to reverse the damage. President Lula has 15 business days to decide on the vetoes to the project, which can be partial or total. However, according to the minister, simply vetoing will not solve the problem.
“It’s no use thinking we’re going to solve this piecemeal. The bill has more than 60 articles and around 300 provisions. The essential part of the protection structure has been amputated,” she declared. She defended the need for a complete restructuring, with dialogue in Congress, to avoid widespread litigation that could hinder investments in the country.
Critical points of the project
The minister highlighted some points that she considers most alarming, such as the exemption from licensing for sewage treatment plants, the disregard for indirect impacts — as in the case of the Brumadinho disaster — and the creation of the so-called Special Environmental License to accelerate "strategic" works, even when they have a high destructive potential.
Another sensitive point is the possibility of states and municipalities relaxing local rules, which, according to her, will create an "environmental war" between federative entities. "Instead of positive competition, we will have competition from below, lowering environmental regulations," she warned.
Furthermore, the proposal also facilitates the suppression of vegetation in the Atlantic Forest, including in areas of advanced regeneration, and excludes binding technical opinions from the Chico Mendes Institute (ICMBio), which Marina described as unacceptable.
Negative signals on the eve of COP30
For Marina Silva, the approval of the bill sends an extremely negative message to the international community. "We are going against what the world demands at a critical moment in the fight against climate change," she stated. She emphasized that the approved proposal will increase deforestation, reduce rainfall, and jeopardize agribusiness itself, the main engine of the national economy.
Legal action is on the horizon, and there are risks of regression.
The minister concluded by highlighting the paradox of the proposal: “It’s an illusion to think that we will gain speed. What we will see is a breakdown of the licensing system, an increase in litigation, and medium- and long-term losses,” she assessed.
According to Marina, the government team is already working with the Civil House, the Secretariat of Institutional Relations, and the Ministry of the Environment to formulate alternatives that can rebuild some of what was lost, always with a willingness to engage in dialogue with Congress.
