Visit to Brazil, Report of the Special Rapporteur on the implications for human rights of the environmentally sound management and disposal of hazardous substances and wastes Annex Report of the Special Rapporteur on the implications for human rights of the environmentally sound management and disposal of hazardous substances and wastes on his visit to Brazil I. Introduction 1. The Special Rapporteur on the implications for human rights of the environmentally sound management and disposal of hazardous substances and wastes (toxics)1, Baskut Tuncak, conducted an official country visit to Brazil from 2 to 13 December 2019, at the invitation of the Government. In the spirit of collaboration, the Special Rapporteur engaged in dialogue on various issues to examine the Government’s approach on human rights implicated by toxic exposures. 2. The Special Rapporteur thanks the Government of Brazil for the invitation to conduct a country visit. He expresses gratitude for the opportunity for frank and constructive discussions with the Government, companies, and civil society, including indigenous, AfroBrazilian, and quilombola communities, researchers and academics, and human rights defenders. 3. The Special Rapporteur had the opportunity to visit various parts of the country, and to experience the hospitality and generosity of the Brazilian people. He was deeply moved by the enduring struggle of victims, civil society and human rights defenders that met with him. It is these people that the international human rights system aims to protect, and whose resilience must be recognised and commended. II. Sustainable development in Brazil 4. In 1992, the UN Conference on Sustainable Development was held in Rio de Janeiro. The “Rio Declaration” born from this landmark meeting has for decades helped to orient laws and policies of States around the world, including Brazil, toward a sustainable future. 5. A cornerstone of achieving sustainable development is decoupling economic growth from resource depletion and environmental degradation. Brazil experienced its first real decoupling between CO2 emissions and economic activity in 2009,2 suggesting that Brazil has the capacity to go in this direction if concerted efforts are applied. As human rights are inseparable and indivisible, so too is sustainable development from human rights. 6. However, today Brazil is on a steep path of regression from sustainability and human rights. Images of the rampant burning of the Amazon rainforest have become a frightening visual of this descent and Brazil’s eroding commitment to these international values and principles. Yet, much of this regression is invisible. 7. Prioritizing development at any cost is poisoning Brazil, forcing the burden of inaction on the poor and other marginalized communities. Reports proliferate of corporate capture, corruption and conflicts of interests between Government actors and powerful businesses, advancing a deregulatory agenda. As countries in Europe and elsewhere improve 1 2 2 Consistent with the previous reports of the current mandate holder and those of his predecessors, hazardous substances and wastes are not defined strictly; they include, inter alia, toxic industrial chemicals and pesticides, pollutants, contaminants, explosive and radioactive substances, food additives, biological agents and various forms of waste. For ease of reference, the Special Rapporteur refers to hazardous substances and wastes as “toxics”, and therefore, in the present report, the term “toxics” (or “toxic substances”) should be understood to also include non-toxic but hazardous substances and wastes. Luciano Charlitade Freitas and Shinji Kaneko (2011) https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0921800911000838.