The evolving context of Brazil’s environmental policies in Amazonia

The context of Brazil’s environmental policies has changed in multiple ways over the past two decades, some positive for the environment and others not. Positive changes include creation of a Ministry of the Environment and a system of environmental licensing, increased organization of civil society, creation of reserves and demarcation of indigenous areas, and the advent of international conventions on climate and biodiversity. However, development projects in Brazilian Amazonia have circumvented environmental restrictions in various ways, and past and present modifications to the system are weakening environmental protection. The current hostility of the political climate in Brazil in environmental matters makes efforts to strengthen environmental policies even more dependent on careful selection of strategies. Making the best of instability by being prepared for conservation opportunities is one method, as is the use of science and technology in relevant areas. Understanding the complex nature of Brazilian bureaucracy is essential in this process. The value of environmental services provided by maintaining Amazon forest could be a key element in determining the future of environmental policy and of the forest

Environmental policy in Brazilian Amazonia: Lessons from recent history

Tropical forest in Brazil, as in other countries, faces threats stemming from decision making that favors destructive development and gives only token consideration to lost environmental services and other impacts. History, particularly the most relevant period covering the recent years of rapid development in Amazonia, is a source of useful lessons for changing the decision-making process to favor outcomes that are less destructive and more sustainable. Development decisions set processes in motion with consequences extending far into the future, adding urgency to the task of assimilating these lessons. Decisions in the coming decade will determine the fate of Brazil’s Amazon forest, as is also the case for other countries that could benefit from the lessons of recent history in Brazil

Brazilian government violates Indigenous rights: What could induce a change?

The current presidential administration of Brazil has implemented a legislative agenda aimed at weakening protections of Indigenous peoples, in line with an ideological discourse and the direct participation of the armed forces in this process. This agenda has enabled invasions of Indigenous lands and a much higher COVID-19 mortality rate for Indigenous peoples when compared to non-Indigenous people. A bill recently approved by the Chamber of Deputies aims to extinguish all Indigenous lands established by the Brazilian government from 1988 onwards. This bill represents the official opening for violation of the rights of Indigenous peoples by the Bolsonaro administration and facilitates invasion of Indigenous lands. The president’s multiple efforts to weaken or deny protection of these peoples, to usurp their lands and to deny their rights to consultation on projects that affect them need to be judged by Brazil’s Federal Supreme Court, the UN Human Rights Council, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR), the Inter-American Court of Human Rights (IACtHR) and the International Criminal Court

Military forces and COVID-19 as smokescreens for Amazon destruction and violation of indigenous rights

The President of Brazil has adopted an anti-environmental stance since taking office in January 2019, weakening the rights of indigenous peoples and environmental legislation and militarizing the environmental and indigenous agencies. The president’s stance on the COVID-19 pandemic gives priority to economic development rather than to saving lives. The administration’s environment minister even suggested taking advantage of the media’s attention being focussed on the pandemic as an ‘opportunity’ to weaken environmental legislation. Here we argue that both the pandemic and the militarization of Brazil’s environmental protection have served as smokescreens to weaken environmental protections, and have also put Brazil’s indigenous peoples at risk and violated their rights

Previsão da produção bovina na rodovia Transamazônica do Brasil

The Brazilian government is presently encouraging the rapid development of cattle pasture in large parts of the Amazon Basin through a massive program of financial and tax incentives. This has been encouraged by recent claims in Brazil that pasture improves soil quality, and therefore presumably could supply an indefinite yield of cattle to the ranchers that are responding to the incentives program. Calculation of beef productivity to be expected in areas such as Brazil's Transamazon Highway by a variety of means all lead to the conclusion that government expectations are overoptimistic. The present paper develops equations for prediction of cattle yields for a study area on the Transamazon Highway including the effects of both soil nutrients and competition from weeds. Low levels of soil phosphorus and invasion of inedible weeds soon reduce grass and cattle yields to very low levels. Results of a computer simulation of cattle yields based on the relationships developed linking yields to soil nutrients and weeds, and on the soil information gathered in the Transamazon Highway study area, are presented. The pasture simulation forms a part of a larger simulation of the agroecosystem of the Transamazon Highway colonists which is aimed at assessing the importance of various factors on the carrying capacity of the area for human populations. Although the carrying capacity study shows that agriculture based largely on annual crops is a risky business, it also casts doubt on the presumption of secure and sustainable yeilds from the pasture development schemes currently being promoted in the Brazilian Amazon.", 'enO governo brasileiro está atualmente promovendo o desenvolvimento de pastagens para gado em vastas áreas da Bacia Amazônica, por meio de um programa de incentivos fiscais e tributários. Este fato tem sido encorajado por declarações recentes, de que as pastagens melhoram a qualidade dos solos, possivelmente podendo propiciar uma produção bovina por tempo indeterminado. Cálculos da produtividade bovina prevista para áreas, como as adjacentes à rodovia Transamazônica. feitas por vários métodos, levam à conclusão que as expectativas são demasiadamente otimísticas. O presente trabalho desenvolve equações para a previsão de produção de gado, numa área de estudo ao longo da Transamazônica, levando em consideração os efeitos dos nutrientes do solo e a competição com plantas invasoras. Níveis baixos de fósforo no solo e a invasão de ervas não comestíveis reduzem a produção de gramíneas e. conseqüentemente, de gado. a níveis muito baixos. Apresenta-se os resultados de uma simulação por computador acerca da produção de gado baseada tanto nas relações desenvolvidas ligando as produções a nutrientes do solo e a invasoras, quanto nas informações sobre solos colhidas na área de estudo na Transamazônica. A simulação das pastagens é parte de uma simulação maior do agro-ecossistema dos colonos da Transamazônica. cujo objetivo é estimar a importância de vários fatores na capacidade de suporte dessa área, para populações humanas. Embora o estudo da capacidade de suporte mostre que a agricultura baseada principalmente em culturas anuais apresente grandes riscos, coloca também em dúvida a pressuposição de rendimentos seguros e contínuos, pelos projetos de desenvolvimento de pastagens promovidos atualmente na Amazônia brasileira

Hydroelectric Dams in Brazilian Amazonia: Environmental and Social Impacts

Las represas amazónicas de Brasil tienen importantes impactos sociales y ambientales que sistemáticamente se subestiman en los estudios de impacto ambiental (EIA) presentados para la concesión de licencias. Los impactos incluyen el desplazamiento de la población, la pérdida de pesquerías, la metilación del mercurio y las emisiones de gases de efecto invernadero. Se ha ignorado al personal técnico del Instituto Brasileño de Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales Renovables (IBAMA), responsable de la concesión de licencias, para aprobar una serie de presas a pesar de los grandes impactos, la falta de consulta con los pueblos indígenas y las EIA inadecuadas. Hay proyectos de ley y enmiendas constitucionales que amenazan con destruir o abolir por completo el sistema de licencias. El uso de “suspensiones de seguridad” ha neutralizado en gran medida al sistema judicial en sus esfuerzos por hacer cumplir las reglamentaciones que requieren consultar a los pueblos indígenas u obligan al cumplimiento de los requisitos de licencia ambiental. La gravedad de la situación es evidente, entenderlo es el primer paso para cambiar los sistemas de toma de decisión y de concesión de licencias que conducen a los impactos ilustrados por la historia reciente en la Amazonia. Brasil tiene amplias opciones energéticas con menos impacto socio-ambiental que las represas que hoy reciben prioridad.As barragens brasileiras na Amazônia têm grandes impactos sociais e ambientais, que são sistematicamente subestimados nos Estudos de Impacto Ambiental (EIAs) no processo de licenciamento. Impactos incluem deslocamento de população, perda de pesca, metilização de mercúrio e emissão de gases de efeito estufa. A equipe técnica no Instituto Brasileiro do Meio Ambiente e dos Recursos Naturais Renováveis (IBAMA), responsável pelo licenciamento, tem sido ignorado para aprovar uma série de barragens, apesar dos altos impactos, da falta de consulta aos povos indígenas e dos EIAs inadequados. Há projetos de lei e propostas de emendas constitucionais que ameaçam a desconfigurar ou até eliminar o sistema de licenciamento como um todo. O uso de “suspensões de segurança” neutraliza, em grande parte, o sistema judicial em seus esforços para fazer cumprir a lei que exige a consulta aos povos indígenas ou para obrigar o cumprimento das exigências do licenciamento ambiental. A gravidade deste quadro é evidente, mas entendê-lo é o primeiro passo para que sejam mudados os sistemas de tomada de decisão e de licenciamento que levam aos impactos ilustrados pela história recente na Amazônia. O Brasil dispõe de amplas opções energéticas com menos impactos socioambientais do que as barragens que recebem prioridade hoje.Brazil’s Amazon dams have major social and environmental impacts, which are systematically underestimated in the environmental impact studies (EIAs) submitted for licensing. Impacts include population displacement, loss of fisheries, mercury methylation and greenhouse-gas emissions. The technical staff of the Brazilian Institute for the Environment and Renewable Natural Resources (IBAMA) responsible for licensing has been overridden to approve a series of dams despite high impacts, no consultation with indigenous peoples and inadequate EIAs. Pending legislation and constitutional amendments threaten either gutting or abolishing outright the entire licensing system. The use of “security suspensions” has largely neutralized the judicial system in its efforts to enforce regulations requiring consulting indigenous peoples or for fulfilling environmental licensing requirements. The seriousness of this picture is evident, but understanding it is the first step in changing the decision-making and licensing systems that lead to the impacts illustrated by recent history in the Amazon. Brazil has ample energy options with less socio-environmental impacts than the dams that receive priority today