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News
Brazil's dangerous environmental licensing bill
07/08/2025
Fonte: Science - https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adz7734
Brazil's dangerous environmental licensing bill
If approved, a new law in Brazil will make criminal activities, such as this illegal gold mining within the borders of the Jamari National Forest, more prevalent.
By Emanuela W. A. WeidlichScience 7 Aug 2025
Criminal activities are slowly expanding across the Amazon region, causing severe harm to local social-ecological systems (1). An organized crime system benefits from illegal economies and markets based on narcotraffic, land-grabbing, and laundering of money and environmental assets, as well as from corrupt politicians involved in these economies (2). Crime syndicates are closely associated with illegal mining, logging, wildlife trafficking, predatory fishing, forest burning, and deforestation (1, 3). Regional deterioration of democracy and the rule of law, along with the spread of chaos, corruption, violence, and territorial control, have allowed the illegal and legal economies to become intertwined (4). Brazil's recently passed Bill 2159/2021, known as the "devastation bill," will facilitate continued expansion of criminal activity. President Lula should veto the bill, and Brazil's Congress should accept the veto. If necessary, the Federal Supreme Court should stop the bill's implementation.
Bill 2159/2021 will severely weaken environmental governance and boost illegal economies that empower organized crime (5, 6). The bill exempts activities such as mining and soy and cattle production from formal licensing procedures by Brazil's environmental agencies. These activities will be allowed to proceed through self-declaration alone, despite the potential social-ecological consequences. Plans will be able to proceed even in Indigenous and Quilombola territories that are awaiting legal titling, putting almost one-third of Indigenous territories at risk (7). Considering the role of crime syndicates in mining, agriculture, and cattle farming, Bill 2159/2021 will enable organized crime to gain more wealth, territory, and political power while weaking the local governance through fear and corruption.
Given the recent expansion of crime syndicates in the Amazon region (1-4), the bill could empower criminals and accelerate their territorial expansion, with disastrous consequences for ecosystems, local livelihoods, and Indigenous peoples. Crime syndicates could force Indigenous peoples from their ancestral territories, thereby opening more space for crime in both urban and forest landscapes (1). The recent intrusion and social-ecological chaos in the Yanomami Indigenous territory demonstrates how the growth of illegal economies can enable a shift into a crime-dominated regime (4). Instead of weakening the environmental governance system, Brazil should halt implementation of the new law and advance policies that strengthen local environmental governance actors and institutions.
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References and Notes
1
E. S. Brondizio, Ambio 54, 923 (2025).
Crossref
PubMed
Web of Science
Google Scholar
2
G. R. Canale et al., Revista Campo-Território 19, 1 (2024).
GO TO REFERENCE
Crossref
Google Scholar
3
Igarapé Institute, "Follow the money: Environmental crimes and illicit economic activities in Brazilian Amazon production chains", Strategic Paper 63, 29 April 2024.
GO TO REFERENCE
Google Scholar
4
F. d. A. Costa et al., "Land market and illegalities: The deep roots of deforestation in the Amazon" (Policy Brief, Science Panel for the Amazon, 2024).
Google Scholar
5
F. Wenzel, "Ahead of hosting COP30, Brazil is set to weaken environmental licensing", Mongabay, 29 May 2025.
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Google Scholar
6
M. L. Canineu, "Brazil should reject bill gutting environmental licensing", Human Rights Watch, 10 June 2025.
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Google Scholar
7
Instituto Socioambiental, "Análise dos impactos do Projeto de Lei n.o 2.159/2021 (Lei Geral do Licenciamento Ambiental) sobre Terras Indígenas, Quilombolas e Unidades de Conservação" (Technical Report, Instituto Socioambiental, 2025).
GO TO REFERENCE
Google Scholar
https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adz7734
If approved, a new law in Brazil will make criminal activities, such as this illegal gold mining within the borders of the Jamari National Forest, more prevalent.
By Emanuela W. A. WeidlichScience 7 Aug 2025
Criminal activities are slowly expanding across the Amazon region, causing severe harm to local social-ecological systems (1). An organized crime system benefits from illegal economies and markets based on narcotraffic, land-grabbing, and laundering of money and environmental assets, as well as from corrupt politicians involved in these economies (2). Crime syndicates are closely associated with illegal mining, logging, wildlife trafficking, predatory fishing, forest burning, and deforestation (1, 3). Regional deterioration of democracy and the rule of law, along with the spread of chaos, corruption, violence, and territorial control, have allowed the illegal and legal economies to become intertwined (4). Brazil's recently passed Bill 2159/2021, known as the "devastation bill," will facilitate continued expansion of criminal activity. President Lula should veto the bill, and Brazil's Congress should accept the veto. If necessary, the Federal Supreme Court should stop the bill's implementation.
Bill 2159/2021 will severely weaken environmental governance and boost illegal economies that empower organized crime (5, 6). The bill exempts activities such as mining and soy and cattle production from formal licensing procedures by Brazil's environmental agencies. These activities will be allowed to proceed through self-declaration alone, despite the potential social-ecological consequences. Plans will be able to proceed even in Indigenous and Quilombola territories that are awaiting legal titling, putting almost one-third of Indigenous territories at risk (7). Considering the role of crime syndicates in mining, agriculture, and cattle farming, Bill 2159/2021 will enable organized crime to gain more wealth, territory, and political power while weaking the local governance through fear and corruption.
Given the recent expansion of crime syndicates in the Amazon region (1-4), the bill could empower criminals and accelerate their territorial expansion, with disastrous consequences for ecosystems, local livelihoods, and Indigenous peoples. Crime syndicates could force Indigenous peoples from their ancestral territories, thereby opening more space for crime in both urban and forest landscapes (1). The recent intrusion and social-ecological chaos in the Yanomami Indigenous territory demonstrates how the growth of illegal economies can enable a shift into a crime-dominated regime (4). Instead of weakening the environmental governance system, Brazil should halt implementation of the new law and advance policies that strengthen local environmental governance actors and institutions.
SIGN UP FOR THE AWARD-WINNING SCIENCEADVISER NEWSLETTER
The latest news, commentary, and research, free to your inbox daily
References and Notes
1
E. S. Brondizio, Ambio 54, 923 (2025).
Crossref
PubMed
Web of Science
Google Scholar
2
G. R. Canale et al., Revista Campo-Território 19, 1 (2024).
GO TO REFERENCE
Crossref
Google Scholar
3
Igarapé Institute, "Follow the money: Environmental crimes and illicit economic activities in Brazilian Amazon production chains", Strategic Paper 63, 29 April 2024.
GO TO REFERENCE
Google Scholar
4
F. d. A. Costa et al., "Land market and illegalities: The deep roots of deforestation in the Amazon" (Policy Brief, Science Panel for the Amazon, 2024).
Google Scholar
5
F. Wenzel, "Ahead of hosting COP30, Brazil is set to weaken environmental licensing", Mongabay, 29 May 2025.
GO TO REFERENCE
Google Scholar
6
M. L. Canineu, "Brazil should reject bill gutting environmental licensing", Human Rights Watch, 10 June 2025.
GO TO REFERENCE
Google Scholar
7
Instituto Socioambiental, "Análise dos impactos do Projeto de Lei n.o 2.159/2021 (Lei Geral do Licenciamento Ambiental) sobre Terras Indígenas, Quilombolas e Unidades de Conservação" (Technical Report, Instituto Socioambiental, 2025).
GO TO REFERENCE
Google Scholar
https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adz7734
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