Brazilian highway construction

A Brazilian federal court has issued an injunction halting the paving of the BR-319 highway, which connects Manaus to other populous regions, due to concerns over its potential contribution to climate change and deforestation. The Climate Observatory, a coalition of environmental groups, argued that the highway's construction could lead to significant logging in the Amazon rainforest, which is a major source of Brazil's greenhouse gas emissions. The permit for the project was granted in 2022 during the administration of former President Jair Bolsonaro, who had advocated for its completion despite environmental concerns. Federal Judge Maria Elisa Andrade ruled that the project lacked a proper governance plan to prevent deforestation and noted the absence of a climate impact study. The ruling requires the current government under President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva to reassess the environmental impacts of the highway on deforestation and Indigenous communities. Experts estimate that paving the highway could result in a fivefold increase in deforestation by 2030, raising alarms about its long-term environmental implications.