House of Representatives approves measures that go against the Atlantic Forest and its traditional populations

The House of Representatives approved, on Thursday afternoon (30), two provisional measures (MPs), from the Bolsonaro government, with considerable socio-environmental setbacks. Both now go to the Senate for approval.  The [Provisional Measure] MP 1.150/2022 opens the way for more deforestation in the little that remains (12%) of the most threatened biome in the country: the Atlantic Rainforest. In this case, the proposal was made through an amendment unrelated to the main theme of the MP – the Forest Code (Law 12.651/2012). The idea of changing the Atlantic Forest Law (11.428/2006) came from União Brasil and party leader Elmar Nascimento (BA), who insisted on including it in the approved text. The final text also extends for another year the deadline for rural producers to join the Environmental Regularization Program (PRA), foreseen in the Forest Code.

The other MP (1.151/2022) approved in the House plenary changes the rules of forest concessions, opening the possibility of exploitation of other environmental goods and services, besides timber, including in protected areas occupied by indigenous and traditional communities. Only PDT and the PSOL/Rede federation voted against. According to the final text, the concessions will be able to generate carbon credits and use the genetic heritage of plants and animals, for example.