Brazilian Court Halts Highway Project Over Climate Concerns

BRASILIA, Brazil (AP) — A Brazilian federal court has halted a significant highway project connecting Manaus to other populous regions, citing potential contributions to climate change. The court's decision came after the Climate Observatory, a coalition of 107 environmental and civil society groups, argued that the project could lead to extensive deforestation of pristine rainforest. The ruling suspended a crucial environmental permit issued in 2022 during the administration of former President Jair Bolsonaro, whose policies have been criticized for exacerbating Amazon deforestation. Federal Judge Maria Elisa Andrade ruled in favor of the plaintiffs, emphasizing that the permit overlooked critical analyses from Brazil’s environmental agency, Ibama. The judge noted that the absence of a climate impact study undermines risk management and fails to balance projected impacts with necessary mitigation measures. The preliminary license is essential for the paving project, as it indicates that the project has passed both economic and environmental reviews. With the court's ruling, the current administration under President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva must reassess the highway's environmental implications, particularly concerning deforestation, Indigenous rights, and climate change. The BR-319 highway, which spans approximately 560 miles, is vital for connecting Manaus, a city of 2.2 million, to southern urban centers. However, its unpaved sections have historically deterred forest clear-cutters, and expectations of paving have already led to increased deforestation in the area. Brazil ranks as the fifth-largest emitter of greenhouse gases globally, with nearly half of its emissions attributed to Amazon rainforest destruction, which peaked during Bolsonaro's presidency.