The new Brazilian Development Act Risks Forest Forests Amazon

The new law in Brazil can cause “significant damage to the environment and human rights abuses” and is a “rollback for decades” of defense in Brazil, including for Amazon, BBC News expert said.

Plans to accelerate the permits for development projects were criticized by Astrid Punstez Riano, a UN special rapporteur when the country is preparing for the COP30 CLIMATE summit this year.

Legislators have conducted plans to simplify environmental licenses on infrastructure, including roads, dams, energy and mine this month, although the president has not officially approved the bill.

Critics have dubbed this “Destruction Bill” and say that this can lead to environmental abuse and deforestation.

Proponents say the new nationwide licensing regime simplifies a long and complex process with which companies face to prove to the authorities who have not done unacceptable damage to the environment.

According to the changes, some developers will be able to independently visit the environment through the Internet form for projects that are considered smaller – the advocates of the step say they will reduce the bureaucracy, but critics believe it is the main problem.

Ms. Riano said the BBC that she was afraid that lighter rules “would apply to some mining projects” and will “influence the Amazon region.”

She also said that “very worried” about plans for automatic updating of some projects where there has not been serious changes, saying: “This will allow the evaluation of the environmental impact on these projects. Some projects will include mining projects or infrastructure projects where full assessment is needed.

“It will also lead to deforestation. Modification or continuation of projects may mean deforestation in Amazon without proper assessment.”

Many felling of forests and land purification in Amazon was driven by agriculture and prey, sometimes illegally – but Ms. Riano stated that the bill was “coming back” to prevent it.

Her intervention occurs two months after the new analysis is published The testimony of the huge layers of the Amazon were destroyed in 2024With forest fires, which are fueled by drought, adding to man -made deforestation.

According to the new law, there would be 12 months in environmental agencies – it is expanding to 24 – to decide whether to provide a license for strategic projects. When the term was missed, the license could be automatically provided.

Proponents say this will allow businesses confidence by preventing delays suffering from projects, including hydroelectric power plants for clean energy or rail lines for transportation of grain.

Ms. Riano said she understands the need for more effective systems, but the assessments should be “comprehensive” and “based on science”.

The law also relaxes the requirement of the counseling of the indigenous or traditional communities of Quilombola – offspring of Afro -slaves – in some situations where they are not directly impacted.

UN experts have expressed concern that rapidly monitored assessments may remove some participation and affect human rights.

Proponents of the bill say this will stimulate economic development, including projects of renewable energy sources that are carried out for economic growth, as well as reduce business and state costs.

But critics fear the weakening of the environmental protection, can increase the risk of environmental disasters and violate indigenous rights.

In particular, UN experts claim that this may contradict the constitutional rights that guarantee the right to an environmentally balanced environment – which means that legal problems may be ahead.

The Senate and the House of Deputies have approved the bill, and it is now waiting for the President’s approval.

President Lulen before Silva has until August 8 to decide whether to approve or veto a new law.

Brazilian environmental and climate change, Marina Silva, opposed the bill, condemning it as a “death” to protect the environment.

But she disagreed with the president on other issues in the past, including proposals for the study of oil drilling in the Amazon basin.

Even if the president veto it, it is likely that the Conservative Congress can try to cancel it.

The climate of Brazil called the bill “the largest environmental failure” since the military dictatorship of Brazil, in which the construction of roads and the expansion of agriculture led to the enhancement of the Forest Forest and the movement of many indigenous people.

Ms. Riano said scientists in Brazil estimate that the bill would “lead to protection for more than 18 million hectares in the country, the size of Uruguay”, “adding” the consequences of the huge. “