Overview

• President Lula signed the revised licensing law on August 8, vetoing 63 of its 398 articles, including provisions for self-declared medium-impact licences and the exclusion of Indigenous and Quilombola participation
• He retained a fast-track mechanism for “strategic” projects, a move that could facilitate oil exploration at the mouth of the Amazon River
• Bolsonaro-aligned lawmakers are stalling other business to press for amnesty measures and have signaled intentions to override the presidential vetoes
• NGOs such as SOS Mata Atlântica and ActionAid have called on civil society to pressure Congress and are lining up court challenges to uphold the remaining environmental protections
• The legislative standoff will be a key test of Brazil’s zero-deforestation pledge for 2030 and its credibility as host of COP30 in Belém