Brazil’s Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change (MMA) has launched a public consultation on the draft decree intended to regulate Law No. 14,119/2021, which established the National Policy on Payment for Environmental...more
The Brazilian government published Decree No. 12,451/2025 (the “New Decree”), which regulates Article 49, §1 of the National Solid Waste Policy (Law No. 12,305/2010), establishing exceptions to the ban on importing solid...more
5/28/2025
/ Brazil ,
Environmental Policies ,
Hazardous Substances ,
Imports ,
International Trade ,
Manufacturers ,
New Regulations ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Solid Waste ,
Sustainability ,
Waste Management
Between April 7 and 11, 2025, during the 83rd session of the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC), the International Maritime Organization (IMO) approved a new set of regulatory measures aimed at reducing greenhouse...more
4/25/2025
/ Brazil ,
Carbon Emissions ,
Environmental Policies ,
Fuel Standards ,
Greenhouse Gas Emissions ,
International Maritime Organization (IMO) ,
Maritime Transport ,
Net Zero ,
New Regulations ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Shipping
On April 3, 2025, Brazil’s Federal Environmental Agency for the protection of Conservation Units (“ICMBio”) published Normative Instruction No. 16/2025, modifying the procedures regulating its role as an intervening agency in...more
In accordance with Federal Decree No. 12,082/2024, which established the National Circular Economy Strategy (which we explored in a July 2024 Legal Update), a public hearing has been opened for the development of the National...more
3/17/2025
/ Brazil ,
Circular Economy ,
Climate Change ,
Environmental Policies ,
Innovative Technology ,
Public Hearing ,
Recycling ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Sustainability ,
Sustainable Finance
AT A GLANCE -
Federal Decree No. 12,373/2025, published on February 3, 2025, reinforces FUNAI’s regulatory authority over indigenous lands and restricted areas by outlining offenses such as unauthorized entry by...more
2/14/2025
/ Brazil ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Environmental Policies ,
Environmental Social & Governance (ESG) ,
Government Agencies ,
Public Policy ,
Regulatory Authority ,
Regulatory Reform ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Sustainability ,
Tribal Lands
Brazil’s Federal Environmental Agency (IBAMA) has launched a public consultation on a draft regulation governing environmental controls for ship-to-ship (STS) operations in Brazilian jurisdictional waters. The draft...more
On December 24, 2024, Brazil passed Federal Law No. 15,070/2024 (the “Bio-inputs Law”). The Bio-inputs Law aims to regulate many aspects of the use of bio-inputs in the agricultural sector, including the production, import or...more
Ordinance GM/MMA No. 1,250/2024 has been enacted by the Brazilian Ministry of Environment and Climate Change to regulate the presentation, analysis, approval monitoring, accountability and evaluation of proposal and projects...more
The 29th Session of the UN Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP-29) concluded on November 22, and COP-30 is now in sight. In this Legal Update, we discuss some of the key results of...more
On November 19, 2024, the Chamber of Deputies approved Bill No. 182/2024, establishing the Brazilian Emissions Trading System (SBCE), following its approval by the Federal Senate on November 13. The text now awaits...more
The Brazilian Supreme Court (Supremo Tribunal Federal - STF) has decided by majority vote that landfills being installed or already operating or expanding in Permanent Preservation Areas (Áreas de Preservação Permanente -...more
BACKGROUND -
The incorporation of complex environmental and climate impacts from business operations and supply chains into human rights impact assessments and governance models is proving to be a major challenge for...more
On September 20, 2024, the Brazilian government published Federal Decree No. 12,189/2024 (the “Decree”), significantly amending Federal Decree No. 6,514/2008, which provides for administrative penalties for environmental...more
The Environmental Agency of the State of São Paulo (Companhia Ambiental do Estado de São Paulo - CETESB) recently published in the Official Gazette new guidelines for managing contaminated areas and the procedures for...more
Brazil has recently seen significant updates to solid waste management regulations at the national level. These include new regulations which address: the qualification criteria of managing entities; the qualification...more
The biodiversity matter has been on the agenda of the Federal Government and, recently, four biodiversity-related legislation were published in the Official Gazette: Federal Decree No. 12,017/2024; and Resolutions No....more
On May 3, 2024, Brazil’s Federal Law No. 14,850/2024 (the “Regulation”) was passed by the President establishing the National Policy on Air Quality. The Regulation provides for the creation of a unified air quality monitoring...more
Following discussions during the 81st meeting of the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC 81), which took place March 18–22, 2024, member states of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) agreed on a draft...more
Beginning April 2024, companies registered in Brazil’s Federal Technical Registry of Potentially Polluting Activities (CTF/APP) will begin to pay the Environmental Control and Inspection Fee (TCFA) under a new calculation...more
On March 25, 2024, the Brazilian federal government published Decree No. 11.961/2024, establishing an advisory and deliberative group, the Brazilian Sustainable Taxonomy Interinstitutional Committee (“CITSB”), which will...more
After being introduced in the House of Representatives 20 years ago, Federal Law No. 14,785/2023 was passed at the end of 2023, establishing and modifying rules for pesticides related to the research and experimentation on...more