President signs Provisional Measure to recover areas affected by extreme weather events

On Tuesday, December 24, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva issued Provisional Measure No. 1,282/2024, allocating an extraordinary credit of BRL 6.5 billion to the Ministry of Cities for recovering infrastructure in areas impacted by extreme weather events.

This measure complements Provisional Measure No. 1,278/2024, issued by President Lula earlier in December, which authorized the Federal Government to contribute to a private fund managed by Caixa Econômica Federal for disaster recovery efforts. According to the new text, the allocated funds are specifically earmarked for Rio Grande do Sul, a state devastated by floods between April and May of this year.

The fund’s assets will consist of share capital contributions, financial investments, donations from individuals and legal entities, and agreements with administrative entities. States, the Federal District, and municipalities may contribute to the fund through share capital contributions.

The fund is designed to support the recovery of infrastructure, including roads, bridges, and public buildings in areas affected by extreme weather events. Additionally, it will finance projects aimed at preventing and adapting to climate change, such as the construction of drainage systems and other disaster mitigation works.

AMAZON AND PANTANAL —The president also signed Provisional Measure No. 1,281/2024, which grants extraordinary credit of BRL 233.2 million to assist the population affected by wildfires and droughts in the Amazon and Pantanal regions.

Approximately BRL 5.1 million will be allocated to the Ministry of Mines and Energy for the expansion and enhancement of the Hydrological Alert Systems (Sistemas de Alerta Hidrológico / SAH) operating in the Amazon region to mitigate the impacts of the water crisis.

Under the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change (Ministério do Meio Ambiente e Mudança do Clima / MMA), BRL 118 million has been allocated to the Brazilian Institute for the Environment and Renewable Natural Resources (Instituto Brasileiro do Meio Ambiente e dos Recursos Naturais Renováveis / IBAMA) to enhance the logistical capacity of environmental inspection teams and federal brigades in areas with a high incidence of heat sources. The funds will cover expenses such as daily allowances, travel costs, equipment (including mobile bases), chartered aircraft, and other urgent needs.

The Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change will also allocate BRL 71.5 million to the Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation (Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservação da Biodiversidade / ICMBio). These funds will be used to train and equip inspection teams, enabling the hiring of specialized professionals, the acquisition of weapons, computers, furniture, and monitoring equipment, as well as the implementation of technologies to ensure effective monitoring of fire-prone areas.

Within the Ministry of Ports and Airports (Ministério de Portos e Aeroportos), approximately BRL 35.8 million will be allocated to restore navigability on the Tapajós River between Itaituba and Santarém, in the state of Pará, following damage caused by extreme drought.