New Environmental Licensing Law provides for actions against climate change for the first time

In today's modern scenario, the importance of climate mitigation is fundamental to the construction of new environmental permits. Thinking about this possible adaptation, the Brazilian Association of State Environmental Entities (Abema), called representatives of Brazilian states on Monday, 9, in Vitória, Espírito Santo, for a seminar to discuss the inclusion of the climate change agenda in a new general law on environmental licensing.

Citing the case of the Belo Monte hydroelectric plant tragedy, the director of the Brazil Climate Center, Alfredo Sirkis, revealed during the event that "the inclusion of the climate change agenda within the licensing agenda should be considered from the notions of adaptation. It is necessary to review current environmental policies, since they do not foresee long-term impacts". The 93rd Ordinary Meeting of Abema was opened to discuss PLS- 168/2018, reported by Senator Sérgio Petecão (PSD - Ac), which aims at the possibility of implementing climate change policies in its scope. The general law also puts in question the participation of the authorities involved, presenting restrictions to the power of veto of the managing body and the extension of deadlines for the manifestation of the new licensing". The new law seeks tools to boost sustainable development in the country and simplify the often bureaucratic and slow environmental licensing process.

Without updates since its implementation in Federal Law No. 6,938 of 1981, environmental licensing examines potentially polluting activities that may cause degradation of the environment. Present at the seminar, the Secretary of the Environment of Bahia, João Carlos da Silva, said that "the union between environmental licensing and climate change is fundamental, since climate change is a subject that is not individual, it crosses everyone and at the same time, environmental licensing is the beginning of everything. An update of the permit is needed and there is no new general law that is up to the climate challenges that we have today.

The event was attended by environmental secretaries from some Brazilian states, and the governor of Espírito Santo, Renato Casagrande.