Brazil's Congress Rolls Back Amazon Protections Days After COP30

Brazil's National Congress passed a bill on November 27 that weakened environmental safeguards for the Amazon rainforest, just days after the conclusion of the COP30 global climate summit in Belém. The legislation, which modifies an environmental licensing bill passed by the government earlier this year, removes provisions that protected the Amazon's rivers, forests, and Indigenous communities. The rollback is the result of a powerful political bloc in Congress, representing agribusiness and development interests, which has maintained significant influence since the Jair Bolsonaro presidency. According to Senator Fernando Bezerra Coelho, a member of the opposition party who spoke out against the bill, "This is a step backward for Brazil's environmental policies and a blow to the country's efforts to preserve the Amazon rainforest." Coelho noted that the bill's passage was a result of the "deregulatory agenda" of the rural caucus, the Frente Parlamentar da Agropecuária, which has been a driving force behind the weakening of environmental protections. The environmental licensing bill was first introduced during the Bolsonaro presidency, which openly supported the deregulation of environmental licensing. Ricardo Salles, the former environment minister, had dismissed licensing as a barrier to development. The bill's passage reflects the continued influence of the rural caucus, which remains a powerful force in Brazilian politics. The rollback of environmental safeguards has been met with criticism from environmental groups and Indigenous communities, who argue that it will exacerbate deforestation and threaten the region's biodiversity. "This is a disaster for the Amazon and for the planet," said Maria Osmarina, a representative of the Amazonian Indigenous Peoples' Association. "We will continue to fight against this bill and demand that the government take action to protect our lands and our way of life." The current status of the bill is unclear, as it still needs to be signed into law by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. However, the passage of the bill has sparked concerns about the future of environmental protection in Brazil, particularly in the Amazon region.