A common rap on Brazilian environmental laws is that while they’re enacted amid great fanfare, they soon fade into obscurity—rarely enforced and routinely ignored. This view may have to be revised in light of Brazil’s Environmental Crimes Law. Since it formally took effect on April 1, the legislation has caused a stir in business circles—and fierce wrangling over its implementation. The reason: this law has teeth. One of its key effects is to fold scattered environmental measures into a single code, a move expected to simplify court proceedings. But more important, it gives regulators specific powers to enforce environmental statutes. The measure allows the government to hold a wide range of violators—from graffiti taggers to corporate executives—criminally responsible for the environmental... [Log in to read more]