Faced with the proliferation of fires across the country and with several capitals on alert due to low air quality, the Mixed Environmentalist Parliamentary Front established ten legislative priorities to help tighten repression and reinforce the protection of biomes.
Six of the bills considered essential deal with accountability, increased punishment for those who cause forest fires and the prohibition and criminalization of practices of this type.
A has already defended the extension of the sentence several times and said that this is being worked on by the government.
Sources from the Executive Branch heard by the CNNhowever, believe that it would be better to work on proposals that are already in the National Congress.
Today, the penalty for anyone who causes a forest fire is imprisonment for two to four years, in addition to a fine. If the fire is negligent, the penalty is imprisonment for six months to one year.
Parliamentarians involved in the issue believe that the National Congress could act to increase the penalties for those who commit fires.
The discussion, however, faces resistance from the ruralist group, which represents the interests of more than 300 parliamentarians.
“There is a difficulty in convincing the majority that, from a concrete point of view, they demonstrate in practice a kind of denialism in relation to the climate crisis itself”, says the coordinator of the environmentalist front, deputy Nilto Tatto (PT-SP).
The parliamentarian, however, believes it is possible to sensitize a portion of the agricultural bench to approve proposals that are already in parliament or that must be sent by the government, such as the creation of a climate authority.
“The problem is the reality of Congress itself. It’s not a lack of dialogue. Even if there was Pope Francis, that would be the reality. But the moment of crisis is opportune”, says Tatto.
Check out the main proposals defended by parliamentarians from the environmentalist bench:
- PL 3304/24 – increases the penalty for the crime of setting fire to a forest or other forms of vegetation and proposes a sentence of six to ten years, and a fine. If the crime is culpable, that is, without intention, the proposed penalty is imprisonment of six months to one year and a fine.
- PL 3316/24: creates the crime of arson for political or electoral reasons, with a prison sentence of 6 to 8 years and a fine. The punishment can increase by up to half the sentence if the crime is committed during climatic seasonalities that make the forests or vegetation more susceptible to the action of fire; when the fire assumes large proportions, in accordance with regulations; or when it arises from the activities of a criminal organization.
- PL 3300/24: increases the penalty for those who commit arson by a third or even half if the fire spreads across urban or rural areas of more than one municipality, resulting in large-scale environmental damage or significantly affecting public safety, the health of the population or the local economy.
- PL 5269/20: deals with the liability of landowners where there is irregular use of fire. The text amends the forestry code and states that anyone who does not adopt preventive measures to prevent the fire from spreading may be held responsible for omission. Otherwise, once the place where the fire started is proven, a causal link can be established and the owner could be held responsible.
- PL 5014/20: prohibits the agricultural or urban use of illegally deforested or burned areas, for a period of 20 years.
- PL 5186/16: establishes the Registry of Crimes against the Environment. Legal entities registered in the register may be prevented from participating in financing, receiving government incentives and contracting with the Public Authorities.
