Brazil’s “Devastating Bill”

Brazil passed what critics call the “devastation bill”, which was passed on July 17th by the Brazilian Congress. The bill would weaken the regulatory mechanisms governing activity in the Amazon. 

Specifics of the Bill

Many environmentalists criticise the bill as the “devastation bill,” as organisations claim that it represents “the greatest environmental setback” in Brazil’s environmental legal regime since the 1980s. The criticism involves easier access for business projects classified as having a medium-polluting potential to obtain environmental licenses through a self-filled online form, and crucially without any impact studies or regulatory review. Many of these companies, including mining and agricultural companies, have historically caused significant damage to the Amazon. 

Meanwhile, there are also claims that indigenous peoples could also face harm due to the new law. The law states that indigenous and quilombola communities, which are settlements descended from escaped African slaves, can only interfere in this new license procedure if the land the license refers to is on officially recognised protected territory. Therefore, around 30% of indigenous land, as well as 80% of quilombola land, would not be protected by the law. 

Finally, the bill would reduce federal agency power regarding environmental licensing and also expedite the license review process, especially when it comes to projects considered priorities by the Brazilian government. One such example is a 900 km highway that runs through the rainforest. In total, up to 90% of potential projects would be handed a license under this bill. 

However, supporters of the bill claim that it will remove unnecessary government hurdles and help with investment. This idea was expressed by one of the prominent supporters of the bill, Zé Vitor, as well as significant business leaders such as the president of the agribusiness caucus, Pedro Lupion, who said on X, “Years of stalled investments. Finally, we’ve perfected legislation to unlock investment, streamline the system, and generate opportunities and income for the country”.     

What’s Next?  

Despite its passage through Congress, President Lula da Silva can still prevent the bill from becoming law by vetoing it. However, Congress is currently dominated by conservative parties, meaning that they can potentially overturn Lula’s veto. Thus, some claim another potential way to prevent its passage is through civil society, which can create pressure on the Brazilian government, according to Dinamam Tuxá, executive coordinator of the Articulation of Indigenous Peoples of Brazil. This pressure would also be significant on the international scene, as Brazil will host COP 30 in Belém, Brazil, in November 2025. 

Additionally, the new law could violate the Constitution. According to the Brazilian government, it could violate Article 225 of the Brazilian Constitution, which guarantees the right of Brazilians to have an ecologically balanced environment. The bill would also violate the decision of the Federal Supreme Court, which recognised the unconstitutionality of granting environmental licenses to projects classified as having a medium ecological impact. 

The Importance of the Amazon to Africa and the World 

The Amazon Rainforest is one of the most critical regions on Earth. The Amazon currently holds 40% of the world’s rainforests and ¼ of its terrestrial biodiversity. Therefore, not only does the destruction of the Amazon cause harm to many plants and animals, but it can also harm humans, as the rainforest contains endemic life that may contribute to important medical discoveries. Some examples include ACE inhibitors found in the Tiger Viper, which have helped millions of people who deal with hypertension, also known as high blood pressure. 

The Amazon also helps slow down climate change, as its millions of trees absorb carbon dioxide, acting as a carbon sink in a time when more and more of the gas is released through the use of fossil fuels. However, the destruction of the Amazon can undermine the role it plays, and it can transform it into a source of carbon emissions as the logging and burning of its trees release the carbon they have absorbed back into the atmosphere.  The Amazon could also go pass the “tipping point” where the Amazon will naturally collapse and transform into a savannah, which would lead to greater climate change.   

In summary, in terms of climate change, biodiversity, and potential medical discoveries for humans, the future of the Amazon Rainforest is of great interest to Africa and the Earth as a whole. 

Christian Jimenez Arnaldo is a fellow of the 16th Council.