{"id":3333,"date":"2026-04-08T21:56:00","date_gmt":"2026-04-08T21:56:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/climatevdo.com\/?p=3333"},"modified":"2026-04-11T17:44:54","modified_gmt":"2026-04-11T17:44:54","slug":"as-eu-mercosur-agreement-goes-into-effect-environmentalists-raise-red-flags","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/climatevdo.com\/?p=3333","title":{"rendered":"As EU-Mercosur agreement goes into effect, environmentalists raise red flags"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"post-317212\">\n<div class=\"bulletpoints-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"bulletpoints\">\n<ul>\n<li><em>The EU-Mercosur trade agreement, between the European Union and many Latin American nations, is potentially worth trillions of dollars in transcontinental commerce, and it is about to be implemented on a provisional basis starting in May, 2026.<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>But experts and environmental organizations are concerned about the risks that may arise across Latin America as the accord goes into effect.<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>Indigenous organizations warn about the lack of consultation with potentially affected native peoples, and studies point to problems associated with increases in deforestation, mining, and the use of agrochemicals and pesticides.<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>On the other hand, experts argue that some provisions, such as the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), could help reduce environmental damage in Latin America under existing trade dynamics.<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<p><button class=\"content-expander\"><span>See All Key Ideas<\/span><\/button><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>In March, after decades of negotiations, the free trade agreement between Mercosur nations and the European Union (EU) was ratified by Paraguay, the last founding member of the Latin American bloc to give the green light to the deal. Already in its final stage, the document will be provisionally implemented in May, 2026, <a href=\"https:\/\/noticias.uol.com.br\/ultimas-noticias\/rfi\/2026\/03\/23\/ue-aplicara-provisoriamente-acordo-comercial-com-mercosul-a-partir-de-1-de-maio.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener external\" data-wpel-link=\"external\">according<\/a> to the European Commission.<\/p>\n<p>The agreement is being hailed as an economic boon for both EU and Latin American nations. However, it may cause a series of environmental impacts. According to various NGOs and environmental advocates, major problems for Latin America could include expansion of deforestation, mining, and pesticide imports and use.<\/p>\n<p>Other experts argue that the agreement could impose a series of environmental rules on already existing global trade \u2013 in addition to facilitating knowledge exchange among the parties.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Good for trade, bad for the environment?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Mercosur, as it\u2019s known in Spanish, and Mercosul, in Portuguese, has been dubbed the Southern Common Market. It represents one of the world\u2019s leading economic blocs, and its fifth-largest economy. It is composed of five member countries (Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, and Bolivia) and seven associate members (Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, Suriname, and most recently Panama).<\/p>\n<p>In general terms, the treaty between Mercosur nations and the European Union provides for gradual reduction of import tariffs between the two continental blocs. In late February, the Brazilian government <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.br\/mdic\/pt-br\/assuntos\/noticias\/2026\/fevereiro\/camara-aprova-acordo-mercosul-uniao-europeia-apos-reuniao-com-alckmin\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener external\" data-wpel-link=\"external\">stated<\/a> that the EU \u201ccommits to eliminating import tariffs on approximately 95% of goods that account for 92% of the value of European imports from Brazil within 12 years.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Nevertheless, the agreement\u2019s advance in recent years has raised multiple environmental concerns. In a March 2023 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/static\/planet4-brasil-stateless\/2023\/09\/eade65c4-resumo_das_descobertas_do_greenpeace_sobre_o_acordo_uniao_europeia%E2%80%93mercosul.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener external\" data-wpel-link=\"external\">report<\/a>, the NGO Greenpeace argued that tariff exemptions would benefit commodity exports, potentially <a href=\"https:\/\/news.mongabay.com\/2026\/02\/brazil-govt-builds-map-to-help-exporters-comply-with-eu-anti-deforestation-rule\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-wpel-link=\"internal\">expanding agricultural frontiers and deforestation<\/a> throughout South America. According to the study, agricultural and mineral products currently account for over 70% of what Mercosur sells to the EU.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_317216\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Brazilian cattle in a pasture. The cattle industry has long been Brazil\u2019s leading cause of deforestation. Image: Wenderson Ara\u00fajo\/Confedera\u00e7\u00e3o da Agricultura e Pecu\u00e1ria do Brasil (CC BY-SA 4.0).<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Greenpeace also stresses that, under the new measure, Mercosur member countries could increase their use of pesticides (many known to be toxic), <a href=\"https:\/\/news.mongabay.com\/2024\/02\/agrochemicals-take-a-big-toll-on-global-south-new-atlas-of-pesticides-shows\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-wpel-link=\"internal\">opening up a wide range of socio-environmental and human health crises in developing countries<\/a>. The organization points out that the treaty aims to suspend tariffs on 90% of chemical products exported by the EU, \u201cincluding pesticides.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Several major pesticide companies are European. They include Germany\u2019s BASF, whose 98 Brazilian products contain 19 substances considered \u201chighly hazardous,\u201d and Bayer, also from Germany, with 71 products with 22 substances listed in the same category.<\/p>\n<p>Bayer, for example, produces chlorpyrifos, which is toxic to <a href=\"https:\/\/news.mongabay.com\/2019\/08\/half-a-billion-bees-dead-as-brazil-approves-hundreds-more-pesticides\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-wpel-link=\"internal\">bees<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/news.mongabay.com\/2024\/10\/climate-change-and-agrochemicals-pose-lethal-combo-for-amazonian-fish\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-wpel-link=\"internal\">fish<\/a>, and <a href=\"https:\/\/news.mongabay.com\/2019\/12\/as-pesticide-approvals-soar-brazils-tapirs-bees-other-wildlife-suffer\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-wpel-link=\"internal\">mammals<\/a>. In 2020, the European Commission <a href=\"https:\/\/food.ec.europa.eu\/plants\/pesticides\/approval-active-substances-safeners-and-synergists\/renewal-approval\/chlorpyrifos-chlorpyrifos-methyl_en\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener external\" data-wpel-link=\"external\">decided<\/a> not to renew the license for chlorpyrifos based on evidence of its genotoxicity \u2013 the ability to cause damage to cells\u2019 genetic material \u2013 and neurotoxicity. BASF makes cyanamide, which has been banned in Europe <a href=\"https:\/\/eur-lex.europa.eu\/legal-content\/EN\/TXT\/PDF\/?uri=CELEX:32008D0745&#038;from=EN\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener external\" data-wpel-link=\"external\">since 2008<\/a> for being harmful to human health.<\/p>\n<p>These \u201chighly hazardous\u201d products point to a serious regulatory problem looming on the near horizon: Some pesticides cannot be sold in Europe due to their toxicity, but their production and export outside European borders are not subject to the same barriers. According to an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.lse.ac.uk\/business\/consulting\/assets\/documents\/SIA-in-Support-of-the-Association-Agreement-Negotiations-between-the-EU-and-Mercosur-Final-Report.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener external\" data-wpel-link=\"external\">analysis<\/a> by the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), EU exports of chemicals as well as rubber and plastics to Mercosur are expected to increase between 47% and 60% by 2032 \u2013 compared to what would occur without the agreement.<\/p>\n<p>The pact stipulates that goods traded between the two sides of the deal must comply with the importer\u2019s sanitary requirements. However, Greenpeace International spokesperson Lis Cunha said that the rule will not reduce <a href=\"https:\/\/news.mongabay.com\/2024\/07\/brazils-new-pro-agribusiness-pesticide-law-threatens-amazon-biodiversity\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-wpel-link=\"internal\">pesticide use<\/a> in Latin America, nor will it block the import of agricultural goods to Europe that have been grown using pesticides banned in the EU, since the rule only applies to final products.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIn other words: As long as pesticide residue levels are not high in the final product, it can enter [the EU],\u201d said Cunha. She also stresses that the agreement will reduce customs controls on both sides.<\/p>\n<p>And because EU- Mercosur negotiations began in the last century, Cunha adds, the agreement is based on \u201ctotal environmental exploitation with little consideration for the climate crisis.\u201d In her view, the trade accord\u2019s current approved terms \u201cwould have to be completely re-negotiated in order to create a sustainable agreement.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Carolina Alves, a political advisor at the Institute for Socioeconomic Studies (Inesc), believes that the trade pact will pave the way for more mining in South America by an industry responsible for environmental tragedies and substantial loss of life, including the infamous disasters in Brazil that took place in <a href=\"https:\/\/news.mongabay.com\/2026\/02\/seven-years-after-brazils-worst-dam-disaster-mining-operations-bounce-back\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-wpel-link=\"internal\">Brumadinho<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/news.mongabay.com\/2025\/12\/rio-doce-communities-still-live-with-toxic-water-10-years-after-mariana-disaster\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-wpel-link=\"internal\">Mariana<\/a>. \u201cWe have a mining industry in the country that poses a risk,\u201d she told Mongabay.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_317217\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-317217\" src=\"https:\/\/climatevdo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1775929481_805_As-EU-Mercosur-agreement-goes-into-effect-environmentalists-raise-red-flags.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1707\" srcset=\"https:\/\/climatevdo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1775929481_805_As-EU-Mercosur-agreement-goes-into-effect-environmentalists-raise-red-flags.jpg 2560w, https:\/\/imgs.mongabay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2026\/04\/08214628\/50069168202_3721cc64a2_o-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/imgs.mongabay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2026\/04\/08214628\/50069168202_3721cc64a2_o-1200x800.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/imgs.mongabay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2026\/04\/08214628\/50069168202_3721cc64a2_o-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/imgs.mongabay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2026\/04\/08214628\/50069168202_3721cc64a2_o-2048x1366.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/imgs.mongabay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2026\/04\/08214628\/50069168202_3721cc64a2_o-350x233.jpg 350w, https:\/\/imgs.mongabay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2026\/04\/08214628\/50069168202_3721cc64a2_o-610x407.jpg 610w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Brazilian and Mercosur flags interspersed during a Summit of Heads of State of the bloc, in 2020. Image: Marcos Corr\u00eaa\/Brazil\u2019s Presidency.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2><strong>Expectations for the Anti-Deforestation Law<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>The EU-Mercosur agreement could offer some good news for Latin America\u2019s forests: If nothing changes, the <a href=\"https:\/\/news.mongabay.com\/2025\/10\/deforestation-for-soy-continues-in-brazilian-cerrado-despite-eudr-looming\/\" data-wpel-link=\"internal\">European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR)<\/a> should come into effect in December 2026. From that point onward, EU suppliers worldwide will be required to prove that their nation\u2019s commodities and products come from <a href=\"https:\/\/brasil.mongabay.com\/2026\/02\/novo-mapa-do-inpe-vai-ajudar-exportadores-a-cumprir-lei-antidesmatamento-da-ue\/\" data-wpel-link=\"external\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"external\">deforestation-free areas<\/a> before marketing them under the new agreement. Currently, the EUDR applies to soy, beef, cocoa, coffee, <a href=\"https:\/\/brasil.mongabay.com\/specials\/2024\/09\/a-guerra-do-dende\/\" data-wpel-link=\"external\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"external\">palm oil<\/a>, rubber, and timber.<\/p>\n<p>The rule was originally expected to come into force in December 2024, but it was postponed to the end of the following year. When that time came, however, it was postponed yet again, partly so that commodity-producing nations and transnational companies could prepare to meet EUDR requirements, though the rule was also <a href=\"https:\/\/news.mongabay.com\/short-article\/2024\/11\/eu-delays-and-weakens-anti-deforestation-law-adding-no-risk-loophole\/\" data-wpel-link=\"internal\">weakened<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.clientearth.org\/latest\/news\/the-eu-deforestation-regulation-weakened-and-delayed-once-again-why-it-matters\/\" data-wpel-link=\"external\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"external\">regarding full traceability and shared responsibility across supply chains<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Last January, the European Commission (EC) <a href=\"https:\/\/trade.ec.europa.eu\/access-to-markets\/en\/news\/delay-until-december-2026-and-other-developments-implementation-eudr-regulation#:~:text=28%20January%202026-,Delay%20until%20December%202026%20and%20other%20developments%20in%20the%20implementation,until%20the%20end%20of%202026\" data-wpel-link=\"external\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"external\">published<\/a> on its official website that \u201clarge operators\u201d would need to comply with the main obligations \u201cfrom December 30, 2026,\u201d while micro and small enterprises would have until June 30, 2027. In the document, the EC explains that \u201cthis additional time is intended to guarantee a smooth transition, to reduce impact and administrative burden on micro and small operators and to allow time to improve the IT systems.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>On a previous occasion, the European Parliament had already stated that these enterprises\u2019 IT systems would not be ready to handle computational demands under the EUDR.<\/p>\n<p>According to Dinaman Tux\u00e1, executive coordinator of the Coordination of Indigenous Peoples of Brazil (Apib), the regulation may provide some security to Indigenous lands, but the \u201cresurgence of fascism and conservatism in Europe has caused enforcement delays.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWith these movements, there is also risks that the rules will be loosened,\u201d said Tux\u00e1.<\/p>\n<p>In November 2025, during the <a href=\"https:\/\/news.mongabay.com\/short-article\/2025\/11\/eu-backs-another-one-year-delay-for-eudr-antideforestation-law\/\" data-wpel-link=\"internal\">postponement vote<\/a>, the EU chose to exclude printed books and newspapers from the scope of the law, which could benefit the forestry industry as well as reduce requirements for small operators in countries considered \u201clow risk\u201d. In these cases, a simplified declaration would be enough to prove the origin of the products.<\/p>\n<p>A review window was also proposed to allow changes to the EUDR.<\/p>\n<p>Apib\u2019s coordinator sees these changes with concern. \u201cWe\u2019re very worried about it because we considered the instrument positive. With its loosening or slow enforcement, Indigenous lands and conservation units are being targeted by agricultural expansion in the Amazon and especially in the Cerrado,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_317218\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-317218\" src=\"https:\/\/climatevdo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1775929481_943_As-EU-Mercosur-agreement-goes-into-effect-environmentalists-raise-red-flags.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1920\" srcset=\"https:\/\/climatevdo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1775929481_943_As-EU-Mercosur-agreement-goes-into-effect-environmentalists-raise-red-flags.jpg 2560w, https:\/\/imgs.mongabay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2026\/04\/08214636\/Floresta_Nacional_do_Iquiri_Erick_Caldas_Xavier_7-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/imgs.mongabay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2026\/04\/08214636\/Floresta_Nacional_do_Iquiri_Erick_Caldas_Xavier_7-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/imgs.mongabay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2026\/04\/08214636\/Floresta_Nacional_do_Iquiri_Erick_Caldas_Xavier_7-2048x1536.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/imgs.mongabay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2026\/04\/08214636\/Floresta_Nacional_do_Iquiri_Erick_Caldas_Xavier_7-1200x900.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/imgs.mongabay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2026\/04\/08214636\/Floresta_Nacional_do_Iquiri_Erick_Caldas_Xavier_7-610x458.jpg 610w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Military personnel walk on a deforested area in the Iquiri National Forest, in L\u00e1brea, Amazonas, Brazil. Image: Erick Caldas Xavier via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0).<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>According to Tux\u00e1, Apib \u201ctotally opposes\u201d the EU-Mercosur agreement. However, the organization understands that it does not have the political power to prevent its advance and is now seeking to ensure that the measure \u201cat least guarantees protection of human rights and the rights of various Indigenous peoples.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The agreement mentions indigenous peoples when demanding that the trade blocs recognize the capacity for innovation, the knowledge, and the <a href=\"https:\/\/news.mongabay.com\/2025\/12\/new-financial-tools-boost-traditional-bioeconomy-projects-in-the-amazon\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-wpel-link=\"internal\">practices developed by traditional communities<\/a>. It also demands more space for <a href=\"https:\/\/news.mongabay.com\/2025\/07\/indigenous-rubber-bounces-back-for-amazon-conservation-and-higher-income\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" data-wpel-link=\"internal\">sustainable supply chains<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>However, according to Tux\u00e1, even though Indigenous peoples are directly affected by the agreement, they have not been properly consulted \u2013 not even before the document was drafted. \u201cWe will be under even more pressure from agribusiness, mining, and illegal logging in our territory,\u201d he told Mongabay.<\/p>\n<p>Finally, socio-environmental organizations also criticize the <a href=\"https:\/\/eur-lex.europa.eu\/legal-content\/EN\/TXT\/?uri=CELEX%3A02023R1115-20251226\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener external\" data-wpel-link=\"external\">EUDR\u2019s \u201cconcept of forest,\u201d<\/a> which could exclude biomes such as the Cerrado, Pantanal, and Pampa in southern South America. According to the regulation, the term \u201cforests\u201d includes \u201cland spanning more than 0.5 hectares with trees higher than 5 meters and a canopy cover of more than 10%.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Improvements in existing trade exchanges<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>In January, despite criticism from environmentalists and Indigenous peoples, Brazil\u2019s Minister of the Environment and Climate Change Marina Silva <a href=\"https:\/\/agenciabrasil.ebc.com.br\/internacional\/noticia\/2026-01\/acordo-mercosul-ue-esta-alinhado-objetivos-ambientais-diz-ministra\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener external\" data-wpel-link=\"external\">celebrated<\/a> the EU\u2019s approval of the agreement with Mercosur, saying that the text is \u201cbalanced and aligned with contemporary environmental, social and economic challenges.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Technical reports such as the risk assessment produced by the LSE offer varied interpretations. While citing the risks of deforestation, the LSE points out that the expansion of animal products, sugarcane, and other agricultural goods is small. \u201cConsequently, the analysis does not anticipate an increase in the use and contamination of water or an intensification of the use of pesticides. For the same reason, no significant expansion of the agricultural frontier would be expected as a result of the agreement,\u201d the report states.<\/p>\n<p>In August 2024, Professor Susan Elizabeth Martins from the Graduate Studies Program in Development, Society and International Cooperation at the University of Brasilia (UnB), <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/pii\/S1462901124002090\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener external\" data-wpel-link=\"external\">published a study<\/a> with estimates of land conversion in Brazil and its relationship with agri-food products traded with the EU.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_317214\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-317214\" src=\"https:\/\/climatevdo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1775929481_78_As-EU-Mercosur-agreement-goes-into-effect-environmentalists-raise-red-flags.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1700\" srcset=\"https:\/\/climatevdo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1775929481_78_As-EU-Mercosur-agreement-goes-into-effect-environmentalists-raise-red-flags.jpg 2560w, https:\/\/imgs.mongabay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2026\/04\/08214613\/46640200o-768x510.jpg 768w, https:\/\/imgs.mongabay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2026\/04\/08214613\/46640200o-1536x1020.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/imgs.mongabay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2026\/04\/08214613\/46640200o-2048x1360.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/imgs.mongabay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2026\/04\/08214613\/46640200o-1200x797.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/imgs.mongabay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2026\/04\/08214613\/46640200o-350x233.jpg 350w, https:\/\/imgs.mongabay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2026\/04\/08214613\/46640200o-610x405.jpg 610w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Newly cut sugarcane at the Embrapa Cerrados unit in Planaltina, DF. Image: Maria Goreti Braga dos Santos\/Embrapa.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>According to the study, \u201cwhile the EMTA [EU-Mercosur Trade Agreement] has limitations common to other free trade agreements, it could be a useful additional tool for improving sustainability governance in the existing trade between the two regions by establishing a structured and legally stable platform for cooperation and implementing joint initiatives.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>In 2021, another <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2073-445X\/10\/11\/1243\" data-wpel-link=\"external\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"external\">study<\/a> projected that, under the new agreement, conversion of forests into cropland in the Brazilian Amazon could range from 560 km\u00b2 to 1,730 km\u00b2 \u2013 for comparison, from August 2024 to July 2025, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.br\/mma\/pt-br\/noticias\/em-2025-desmatamento-tem-reducao-de-11-08-na-amazonia-e-11-49-no-cerrado\" data-wpel-link=\"external\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"external\">5,796 km\u00b2 were deforested in the Amazon<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Martins said that the EU- Mercosur agreement is not the solution to environmental problems, but it is not a \u201cvillain\u201d either. \u201cIt\u2019s not that there aren\u2019t environmental risks and impacts, but we argue that these risks and impacts exist even in the absence of an agreement. And this agreement would enable more dialogue and political cooperation between the two regions,\u201d she told Mongabay.<\/p>\n<p>According to her article, some products, such as soy and coffee beans, already enter the European Union with a zero import tariff. However, she advocates the creation of new multilateral agreements between the parties to combat deforestation.<\/p>\n<p>Lis Cunha from Greenpeace disputes the claims of the LSE report. In her view, the document was based on limited consultations and prepared by economists \u2013 most of whom, according to her, lack environmental expertise. As a counterargument, she cites the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.vie-publique.fr\/files\/rapport\/pdf\/276279_0.pdf\" data-wpel-link=\"external\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"external\">work<\/a> of an independent French commission whose analysis indicates that the agreement could accelerate deforestation by 5% over a six-year period.<\/p>\n<p>Marcelo Behar, coordinator of Get\u00falio Vargas Foundation\u2019s Climate Governance and Development Forum, believes that the EU-Mercosur accord could indirectly benefit the environment through exports of critical minerals for the electric car and wind turbine industries. He argues that it could reduce greenhouse gas emissions \u2013 although, <a href=\"https:\/\/brasil.mongabay.com\/2025\/11\/febre-por-minerais-brasileiros-abre-porteira-para-avanco-de-exploracao-em-terras-indigenas\/\" data-wpel-link=\"external\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"external\">according to recent Mongabay articles<\/a>, the new craze for minerals and rare earths in Brazil is creating its own crisis and leading to illegal mining on Indigenous lands for new supposedly sustainable reasons.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>The Paris Agreement<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>The EU-Mercosur treaty also establishes that the parties are signatories to the Paris Agreement and commit to its effective implementation, in addition to collaborating to reduce emissions. Behar considers this a crucial part of the agreement, since commercial commitments are conditioned upon environmental ones. \u201cThis reciprocal accountability will enable us to achieve the goals of both the Paris Agreement and the biodiversity framework.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Carolina Alves from Inesc, however, said that these provisions are not legally binding and there are no legal consequences in case of non-compliance. Apib\u2019s Tux\u00e1, in turn, considers that the mention of the Paris Agreement is something of a safeguard, but he points out that the voluntary mechanism is frequently violated and that its mere reference in the EU-Mercosur agreement does not guarantee compliance by the parties.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe need clearer targets and clearer mechanisms for protection, traceability, and punishment,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_317219\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-317219\" src=\"https:\/\/climatevdo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/As-EU-Mercosur-agreement-goes-into-effect-environmentalists-raise-red-flags.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1600\" height=\"900\" srcset=\"https:\/\/climatevdo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/As-EU-Mercosur-agreement-goes-into-effect-environmentalists-raise-red-flags.jpeg 1600w, https:\/\/imgs.mongabay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2026\/04\/08214640\/Marinha_do_Brasil_presta_apoio_a_operacao_que_destruiu_dragas_empregadas_para_garimpo_ilegal_no_Amazonas_-_2023_53269612056-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/imgs.mongabay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2026\/04\/08214640\/Marinha_do_Brasil_presta_apoio_a_operacao_que_destruiu_dragas_empregadas_para_garimpo_ilegal_no_Amazonas_-_2023_53269612056-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/imgs.mongabay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2026\/04\/08214640\/Marinha_do_Brasil_presta_apoio_a_operacao_que_destruiu_dragas_empregadas_para_garimpo_ilegal_no_Amazonas_-_2023_53269612056-1200x675.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/imgs.mongabay.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/20\/2026\/04\/08214640\/Marinha_do_Brasil_presta_apoio_a_operacao_que_destruiu_dragas_empregadas_para_garimpo_ilegal_no_Amazonas_-_2023_53269612056-610x343.jpg 610w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A Brazilian Navy operation against illegal mining. Image: Brazilian Navy\/Flickr.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><strong><em>Banner image:<\/em><\/strong><em> An iron drum containing soybeans. Image: Isac N\u00f3brega\/Brazil\u2019s Presidency.<\/em><\/p>\n<div id=\"single-article-footer\">\n<div class=\"container in-column about-editor-translator gap--40 pv--80\">\n<div class=\"container grid--3 repeat gap--40\">\n<div class=\"in-row gap--16\">\n<div class=\"author-avatar\">\n                    <img alt=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/climatevdo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/As-EU-Mercosur-agreement-goes-into-effect-environmentalists-raise-red-flags.png\" srcset=\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/870a95eb3583fff7607c23be4b8b425f9a2fb10578f8fea548b6029b4d934951?s=64&#038;d=identicon&#038;r=g 2x\" class=\"avatar avatar-32 photo\" height=\"32\" width=\"32\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\"\/>        <\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<p>                            <span class=\"article-comments\"><a href=\"\" data-wpel-link=\"internal\"\/><\/span><\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The EU-Mercosur trade agreement, between the European Union and many Latin American nations, is potentially worth trillions of dollars in transcontinental commerce, and it is about to be implemented on a provisional basis starting in May, 2026. But experts and environmental organizations are concerned about the risks that may arise across Latin America as the [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3334,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[82],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3333","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nature-biodiversity"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/climatevdo.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3333","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/climatevdo.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/climatevdo.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatevdo.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatevdo.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=3333"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/climatevdo.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3333\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3335,"href":"https:\/\/climatevdo.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3333\/revisions\/3335"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatevdo.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/3334"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/climatevdo.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=3333"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatevdo.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=3333"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/climatevdo.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=3333"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}