The president of the Court, Dias Toffoli, and Minister Roberto Barroso highlighted concerns about the increase in illegalities such as illegal deforestation, land grabbing and other problems in the Amazon region in a meeting with business leaders
Rio de Janeiro, August 11, 2020 – The movement of business leaders for sustainability met late Tuesday afternoon with ministers Dias Toffoli, president of the Federal Supreme Court (STF), and Luís Roberto Barroso. At the meeting, which was also attended by Attorney General Maria Tereza Uille Gomes, counselor of the National Council of Justice (CNJ), the group highlighted the damage to Brazil's image and business caused by the advance of illegal deforestation and the importance of bringing the rule of law to the Amazon and other Brazilian biomes. In addition, the group called for expedited judgment on issues related to the implementation of the Forest Code, which are on the Court's agenda.
The president of the STF proposed strengthening the relationship between the business leaders’ movement and the CNJ counselor. “Maria Tereza is following this on behalf of the CNJ, to see what we can contribute to this work,” suggested Toffoli, highlighting the importance of direct dialogue between the STF and business leaders. “Without intermediaries,” summarized the president of the STF.
“This is a game that we are losing by a landslide. The issue is not one of image, it is one of content: we have to do the right thing,” said Barroso. In his view, deforestation in the Amazon is an issue that stigmatizes Brazil. “Those who love Brazil have to face this problem,” he added.
“The Constitution is being systematically violated by the advance of illegal deforestation and land grabbing, especially in the Amazon biome. This legal uncertainty is causing harm and it must no longer be seen as the agenda of one government or another. It is a state agenda, an agenda that belongs to Brazilian society as a whole,” said Marina Grossi, president of the Brazilian Business Council for Sustainable Development (CEBDS).
“I would like to ask the STF to make a major effort to try to clear the agenda regarding ADIs (Direct Actions of Unconstitutionality) related to the Forest Code. We need to move forward with the implementation of the Code, without leaving any point of legal uncertainty that could capture this sector in the future,” said Marcello Brito, president of the Brazilian Agribusiness Association (ABAG), referring to ADIs no. 4901, 4902, 4903, 4937, 6446 and 6157) and ADCs (Declaratory Actions of Constitutionality) no. 42 and 50. The lawsuits concern the Forest Code, which came into effect in May 2012, and are still awaiting decisions from the STF.
Also participating in the meeting were Paulo Hartung, president of the Brazilian Tree Institute (Ibá); André Nassar, president of the Brazilian Association of Vegetable Oil Industries (Abiove); and Carlo Pereira, executive secretary of the Global Compact Brazil Network, institutions that coordinate the business movement together with CEBDS.
Among the executives present were André Clark, CEO of Siemens Energy; Horácio Lafer Piva, advisor to Klabin; Marc Reichardt, CEO of Bayer Brasil; and Marcos Molina, chairman of the board of the Marfrig Group.
This agenda was started just over a month ago with the launch of Notice from the Brazilian Business Sector, on July 7th. On July 10th, the executives met with the president of the National Council of the Legal Amazon, Vice President Hamilton Mourão, who committed to assuming and announcing semiannual targets against deforestation, fires and land grabbing.
After that, on July 28, the executives had an appointment with the president of the Chamber of Deputies, Rodrigo Maia (DEM-RJ), and with deputies Rodrigo Agostinho (PSB-SP), president of the Environment and Sustainable Development Committee of the Chamber of Deputies, and Zé Silva (SD-MG), author of PL 2633/2020, on land regularization. On that occasion, Maia announced the creation of a working group to list and advance legislative projects related to the sustainability agenda.
The document, which is gaining new signatures day after day, currently has a total of 72 signatures, 62 of which are from CEOs of companies and business groups in the industrial, agricultural and service sectors, as well as five investment fund leaders and five presidents of institutions. The initiative is led by CEBDS, ABAG and Ibá, and has the support of Abiove and the Global Compact Brazil Network.
Amazonian governors
This Wednesday (12), at 9 am, the movement of business leaders for sustainability will meet with the governors of the nine states of the Legal Amazon (Rondônia, Acre, Amazonas, Roraima, Pará, Amapá, Tocantins, Mato Grosso and Maranhão).
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