On September 4, 2024, a delegation made up of representatives from various civil society organizations, especially environmental and climate organizations, met with the president of the National Council of Justice (CNJ) in Brasilia. The group delivered a manifesto, signed by more than 100 organizations, calling for greater speed in climate litigation before the Brazilian judiciary.
During the meeting, the representatives reinforced the need for a more agile and assertive response from the justice system to deal with ongoing climate litigation. There are currently 87 climate disputes awaiting a decision in the Brazilian judiciary. The manifesto delivered highlights that the delay in judging climate-related lawsuits represents a risk not only for the environment, but also for the integrity of human rights and biodiversity.
The document, the result of coordination between various organizations, reinforces the urgency of faster and more effective judicial measures in the face of the growing global climate crisis, as well as highlighting the crucial role of the judiciary in guaranteeing climate justice and fulfilling the country's environmental obligations. The delivery of the manifesto takes place in a context of growing concern about Brazil's ability to meet the challenges posed by climate change and to fulfill its international commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Gabriel Mantelli, executive director of the Climate Action Institute and one of the representatives present in the delegation, stressed the importance of the CNJ's role in advancing climate issues: "The CNJ is a crucial body for signaling the Brazilian judiciary's commitment to the climate agenda and ensuring that magistrates look at these issues with due attention. Speed in climate litigation is fundamental if Brazil is to effectively tackle the crisis we are living in."
The organizations hope that the CNJ, with its central role in coordinating and supervising the judiciary, will adopt concrete measures to prioritize climate cases and guarantee the effectiveness of the decisions handed down. According to the delegation, climate justice is an urgent issue and should be treated as a priority in the country's courts.