New Sea Law could revolutionize protections in Brazil’s coastal areas

At over 8,000 kilometers long, Brazil has the second-largest coastline in Latin America. But its picturesque coastal landscapes are under threat from uncontrolled urban growth, pollution, deforestation, and a host of other problems. These factors, along with constantly creeping climate change, could profoundly change the way of life of the 42 million Brazilians who live in coastal regions.

It is in this troubling milieu that Brazil’s Congress is attempting to pass Bill 6,969 — the so-called ‘Sea Law‘ — which would establish the National Policy for the Conservation and Sustainable Use of the Brazilian Marine Biome (PNCMar). After stalling for six years, the bill is slated for approval in September, which would make it the first proposal of the ‘green agenda’ to make it to a floor vote in the House of Representatives this year.

In fact, this month is set to see a series of these so-called ‘green votes,’ with bills related to the carbon credit market, climate change, and, above all, fighting deforestation. The latter is seen as the most...