Chamber approves urgency to vote on the end of environmental license for eucalyptus – Environment

By 325 votes against 128, the Chamber of Deputies approved authorization to vote urgently on the bill that excludes forestry from the list of activities considered potentially polluting and using environmental resources. The objective is to help the economic recovery of Rio Grande do Sul, but Mato Grosso do Sul will be the biggest beneficiary if the proposal passes, as it is home to the four largest eucalyptus producing municipalities in the country.

Voted last Tuesday (7), the proposal could change the National Environmental Policy (Law 6,938/1981). The project generates divergence between agribusiness groups and environmentalists because it makes it possible to waive prior environmental licensing for forestry activities.

According to article 10 of Law 6,938, which established the National Environmental Policy, such licensing is required of businesses “using environmental resources, actually or potentially polluting”.

Of the five Brazilian municipalities with the largest areas of planted eucalyptus forests, four are in MS: Três Lagoas, Ribas do Rio Pardo, Brasilândia and Água Clara. There are just over 1.28 million hectares of eucalyptus cultivated in 72 municipalities.

The largest concentration of areas is on the East Coast of Mato Grosso do Sul. Três Lagoas is the municipality with the largest planted area, accounting for 22.2%, followed by Ribas do Rio Pardo and Brasilândia, with 21.7% and 11% , respectively.

With global demand increasingly heated, Reflore-MS’ forecast, made last year, is that by 2030 the State will have 2 million hectares of planted forests. The cultivation of forests in the State allowed the recovery of 1 million hectares, whether degraded or not.

In addition to being sustainable and benefiting the environment with the absorption of carbon dioxide, no other activity generates more jobs than the planted forest production chain. According to Reflore’s account, the chain generates one job for every 10 hectares planted.

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