RIO DE JANEIRO: Deforestation of the Brazilian Amazon has surged since Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro took office - and the losses amount to a crime against humanity as climate change strengthens, an environmental non-profit charged on Tuesday.
Austria-based AllRise filed a complaint to the International Criminal Court (ICC) accusing the far-right leader of "facilitating and accelerating" Amazon losses with policies that encourage deforestation, land grabbing and illegal mining.
"Jair Bolsonaro is fuelling the mass destruction of the Amazon with his eyes wide open and in full knowledge of the consequences," said the group's founder Johannes Wesemann in a statement.
Bolsonaro's office did not reply to a request for comment.
The filing is just the latest in a series of charges made against Bolsonaro at the ICC since he took power in 2019, though it is the first to link Amazon destruction to climate change and expected health impacts as a result of warming, AllRise said.
Other complaints criticized Bolsonaro for his handling of the coronavirus pandemic in Brazil, where 600,000 have died, and his policies affecting indigenous peoples.
The ICC could take years to decide if it will investigate the new complaint, legal experts said.
Marcio Astrini, executive secretary of the Brazilian Climate Observatory, which supported the filing, said the complaint is unlikely to change how Bolsonaro governs but might help push action by other key decision makers, from Brazil's courts to companies investing in the country.
It could also weaken Bolsonaro's international standing ahead of next month's U.N. COP26 climate talks, where Brazil is expected to try to show it can fight climate change while remaining an expanding agricultural powerhouse, he said.
"It's one more brick in the wall of shame he has been building for Brazil," Astrini said in a phone interview.
PRECEDENT?
Maud Sarlieve, a human rights and international criminal lawyer who helped compile the AllRise case, said the complaint could test a key ICC statute to "see if it can cover deaths linked to environmental destruction".
The filing charges that planet-heating emissions caused by swifter deforestation under Bolsonaro's administration could cause more than 180,000 extra heat-related deaths globally by the turn of the century.
If the ICC accepts the case, the move could help deter other heads of state from enacting similarly environmentally destructive policies, Sarlieve told the Thomson Reuters Foundation in a phone interview.
If it rejects the complaint, "then we can use it to demonstrate that the law is not (fit for purpose)," said.
And if the law doesn't work in "an extreme situation like the one in Brazil, then it needs to be changed," she added.
During a speech at the United Nation's General Assembly in September, Bolsonaro said his government was committed to protecting the environment.
But rates of deforestation are nearly double what they were in January to August 2018, according to government data.
Reuters
Wed Oct 13 2021
Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro gestures during the ceremony for the Modernization of Occupational Health and Safety Regulations, at the Planalto Palace in Brasilia, Brazil October 7, 2021. REUTERS/Ueslei Marcelino
Japanese manicurist takes on plastic pollution, one nail at a time
Before global leaders address plastic pollution, a Japanese manicurist highlights the issue by incorporating it into her nail designs.
What to watch for ahead of US presidential inauguration
Here's a timeline of events between now and inauguration day.
The battle to reduce road deaths
In Malaysia, over half a million road accidents have been recorded so far this year.
Pro-Palestinian NGOs seek court order to stop Dutch arms exports to Israel
The Dutch state, as a signatory to the 1948 Genocide Convention, has a duty to take all reasonable measures at its disposal to prevent genocide.
How quickly can Trump's Musk-led efficiency panel slash US regulations?
Moves by Trump and his appointees to eliminate existing rules will be met with legal challenges, as many progressive groups and Democratic officials have made clear.
2TM: Consultations on PTPTN loans, admission to IPTA at MOHE booth
Consultations on PTPTN loans and admission to IPTA are among services provided at the Higher Education Ministry booth.
Kampung Tanjung Kala residents affected by flooded bridge every time it rains heavily
Almost 200 residents from 60 homes in Kampung Tanjung Kala have ended up stuck when their 200-metre (m) long concrete bridge flooded.
COP29 climate summit draft proposes rich countries pay $250 billion per year
The draft finance deal criticised by both developed and developing nations.
Bomb squad sent to London's Gatwick Airport after terminal evacuation
This was following the discovery of a suspected prohibited item in luggage.
Kelantan urges caution amidst northeast monsoon rains
Kelantan has reminded the public in the state to refrain from outdoor activities with the arrival of the Northeast Monsoon season.
Former New Zealand PM Jacinda Ardern receives UN leadership award
Former New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern was given a global leadership award by the United Nations Foundation.
ICC'S arrest warrants for Netanyahu, Gallant an apt decision - PM
The decision of the ICC to issue arrest warrants against Benjamin Netanyahu and Yoav Gallant is apt, said Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
KTMB provides two additional ETS trains for Christmas, school holidays
KTMB will provide two additional ETS trains for the KL Sentral-Padang Besar route and return trips in conjunction with the holidays.
BNM'S international reserves rise to USD118 bil as at Nov 15, 2024
Malaysia's international reserves rose to US$118.0 billion as at Nov 15, 2024, up from US$117.6 billion on Oct 30, 2024.
Findings by dark energy researchers back Einstein's conception of gravity
The findings announced are part of a years-long study of the history of the cosmos focusing upon dark energy.
NRES responds to Rimbawatch press release on COP29
The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Sustainability (NRES) wishes to offer the following clarifications to the issues raised.
Online Safety Bill and Anti-Cyberbullying Laws must carefully balance rights and protections
The Online Safety Advocacy Group (OSAG) stands united with people in Malaysia in the fight against serious online harms.
Malaysia's inflation at 1.9 pct in Oct 2024 - DOSM
Malaysia's inflation rate for October 2024 has increased to 1.9 per cent, up from 1.8 per cent in September this year.
Saudi Arabia showcases Vision 2030 goals at Airshow China 2024
For the first time, Saudi Arabia is participating in the China International Aviation & Aerospace Exhibition held recently in Zhuhai.
King Charles' coronation cost GBP 71mil, govt accounts show
The coronation of Britain's King Charles cost taxpayers GBP72 million (US$90 million), official accounts have revealed.