Marked by criticisms from environmental organizations and government opposition, the initiative, called PL of devastation by its detractors, was previously endorsed by the Senate.

It now awaits the approval of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, in the midst of a divided cabinet and four months before the United Nations Climate Conference (COP30), which will be held in the Brazilian Amazon.

The law simplifies the procedures for environmental permits, in force since 2004 in the parliamentary debate.

It introduces controversial figures such as the so-called Special Environmental License, which makes it possible to skip evaluation stages if the Executive considers it strategic, and the License by Adhesion or Commitment, based on self-declarations by investors without prior inspection.

The agricultural sector, the main promoter, defended the measure as a modernization to unblock infrastructure and economic projects.

jdt/jav/mem/ocs