In a significant move, a Brazilian federal court has put a stop to a project aimed at paving a dirt highway connecting the major city of Manaus to populous regions. The court's decision, made on Wednesday, came after concerns were raised that the project could exacerbate climate change.
The court suspended a key environmental permit following arguments from the Climate Observatory, a coalition of 107 environmental, civil society, and academic groups. They contended that the project could lead to extensive deforestation of pristine rainforest areas.
Amazon deforestation is a primary contributor to Brazil's carbon emissions, with much of it occurring along roads due to easier access and higher land value.
The license for the project was issued in 2022 during the tenure of former President Jair Bolsonaro. The court ruling highlighted that the license failed to consider analyses by Brazil's environmental agency, Ibama, which pointed out the lack of a governance plan to prevent widespread deforestation in the region.
The preliminary license is crucial for the project's approval, as it signifies that the project has passed economic and environmental assessments. While the asphalt work has not yet commenced, other bureaucratic procedures are still pending.
Following the court's decision, the federal government, now led by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, will need to reassess the environmental impact of the highway project on deforestation, Indigenous communities, and climate change.
BR-319, stretching approximately 560 miles, is the sole highway linking Manaus, housing 2.2 million residents, to the country's southern urban centers. Half of the highway remains unpaved and becomes impassable during the rainy season, acting as a deterrent to forest clearance.
However, the anticipation of paving the road has led to a surge in deforestation in the region in recent years.
Brazil ranks as the world's fifth-largest emitter of greenhouse gases, contributing nearly 3% of global emissions. Almost half of these emissions result from Amazon rainforest destruction, which reached a 15-year peak during Bolsonaro's presidency.
It is unprecedented for Brazil's judiciary to link an infrastructure project to climate change, according to Suely Araújo, a senior policy advisor at the Climate Observatory and former Ibama president. She emphasized the lack of environmental governance in the region to enforce deforestation control.
The decision by the federal court underscores the growing importance of considering environmental impacts in major infrastructure projects to combat climate change and protect vital ecosystems.
