Brazilian Senate grants children right to nature
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Brazil’s Senate approved a measure guaranteeing children and adolescents the right to connect with nature, establishing responsibilities for families, society, and the government to ensure this access.
The proposal, known as the Environmental Child and Adolescent Statute, prioritizes protecting young people from socio-environmental and climate risks. It also ensures they have access to healthy natural areas, opportunities for free play, and education centered around nature, with specific focus given to early childhood and children with disabilities.
The new law will integrate the right to a balanced environment into national environmental policy and amend the existing Child and Adolescent Statute to include contact with nature as a duty of family, society, and the state. Additionally, it requires the government to prioritize mitigating climate change impacts on children and adolescents. Senator Alessandro Vieira, who reviewed the project, highlighted the potential of nature-based solutions like urban green spaces and native species integration.
Organizations like Alana, which advocates for children’s rights, celebrated the approval as a step towards including the needs of young people in climate adaptation policies. This legislation gains further urgency in light of forecasts for a strong El Niño event in 2026/2027, which is expected to bring extreme weather and increased risks for vulnerable populations.
