Key facts
- Nearly 70% of Brazil's newly elected lawmakers show little or no commitment to environmental issues, according to Observatorio do Clima.
- 64 of 81 senators and 345 of 511 lower house members have a track record of 'very low' or 'low' commitment to environmental issues.
- The Liberal Party, associated with presidential candidate Flavio Bolsonaro, had all its elected senators classified as having very low environmental commitment.
- Proposals to weaken environmental protections, such as reducing protected areas and easing licensing, may gain momentum.
Brazil's incoming Congress is likely to present significant obstacles to environmental protection legislation following recent elections, according to a study by the climate advocacy group Observatorio do Clima. The analysis found that nearly 70% of the newly elected lawmakers demonstrate minimal commitment to environmental issues.
The study examined legislative proposals, speeches, and public statements of both new and re-elected members. It concluded that 64 out of the Senate's 81 members and 345 out of the lower house's 511 members have a track record of "very low" or "low" commitment to environmental concerns.
The Liberal Party, which includes right-wing Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, who is in a presidential runoff election against Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, was identified as having the weakest environmental credentials among major parties. All 28 of the party's senators elected on Sunday, as well as its lower house members, were classified as having very low commitment to environmental issues.
Other right-leaning parties, including Novo, Republicanos, Progressistas, and Uniao Brasil, also exhibited low support for environmental causes, the study indicated. Environmental advocates anticipate a more challenging political landscape if Congress continues to shift to the right and if Bolsonaro, whose past remarks on climate change have raised concerns, is elected president.
Reuters contacted the named parties for comment but did not receive a response. The group suggested that proposals aimed at weakening environmental protections, such as reducing protected areas, permitting mining on Indigenous lands, and easing environmental licensing requirements, could gain traction with the new Congress. "This picture points to four years of difficult work for those focused on climate and environmental issues," said Suely Araujo, the group's public policy coordinator.