As major global airlines embark on decarbonization plans the world’s largest producer of sugarcane ethanol for fuel could become a key supplier of sustainable aviation fuel The increasing investment in Brazilian ethanol seen as an alternative to fossil fuels and their climate impact coincides with a surge in reports of slave labor on sugarcane farms after seven years without any cases reported by the Brazilian federal government 45 workers were rescued from such conditions in sugarcane fields Most reported cases occurred during sugarcane planting an activity impacted by a significant regulatory change The 2017 outsourcing law facilitated the recruitment of rural laborers by independent contractors instead of direct hiring by mills or farmers Experts consulted noted that this shift reduces protections and dilutes accountability for living conditions food and payment provided to seasonal workers One of the Brazilian companies certified to supply aviation fuel is Usina Coruripe 18 workers were rescued from conditions akin to slavery on sugarcane plantations exclusively supplying the company in Minas Gerais A federal inspection revealed that these workers were housed 150 kilometers (93 miles) from the fields where they worked in precarious accommodation without drinkable water or beds Workers had to purchase their food and living necessities themselves whatever was cheapest,” said one worker One worker injured his heel during planting and died two weeks later from septic shock caused by an infection Workers claimed he was wearing a pair of boots salvaged from the trash many reportedly reused protective equipment multiple times contrary to legal requirements mandating employers to provide such items for free Although the labor was recruited by a contractor without formal ties to Usina Coruripe auditors held the company responsible for the slave labor case stating it seeks to annul the citations in court It also noted that a Federal Police inquiry concluded there was no evidence of such practices by Usina Coruripe Usina Coruripe obtained the ISCC Corsia Plus certification which is mandatory to access the aviation fuel market The certification prohibits forced labor and illegal salary deductions for “protective equipment and accommodation.” These standards apply not only to the mills but also to their subcontractors The ISCC Corsia Plus program did not respond to contact attempts by Repórter Brasil which uses the certification as a supplier approval criterion stated it maintains a “robust business conduct code across its supply chain,” including human rights audits conducted annually by external agents a joint venture between agribusiness giant Bunge and British Petroleum (BP) 212 workers had been rescued from conditions resembling slavery on sugarcane plantations supplying the company in Minas Gerais and Goiás marking the largest rescue of enslaved workers that year Federal inspectors reported that most workers Living conditions were described as precarious some workers were reportedly exposed to pesticides sprayed by airplanes recently renamed BP Bioenergia after Bunge exited the business was also accused of manipulating data and not cooperating with investigations into a 2021 fire in a sugarcane field that engulfed a bus carrying 15 workers The company stated it compensated rescued workers and adjusted planting processes following the incident it claimed to have supported affected workers and collaborated with authorities a law professor at the Federal University of Minas Gerais noted that outsourcing introduces intermediaries in the supply chain who lack the financial and technological capacity of the mills “Combined with the increased poverty during the pandemic this has led to a significant return of precarious labor conditions in sugarcane fields,” said Miraglia who also coordinates a legal aid clinic for victims of slave labor Union leaders advocate for stronger dialogue between mills and worker representatives to mitigate the effects of outsourcing president of the Federation of Rural Salaried Workers of Goiás mentioned that some companies now require subcontractors to sign collective agreements with unions ensuring minimum conditions for housing and other necessities the work environment would be much better,” he said Despite the high standards required by certifications formerly of Oxfam Brazil and now with Freedom Fund He argued that there is “minimal effort by certifiers” and called for more than just reactive audits and passive responses to problems campaign coordinator at Transport & Environment which promotes sustainable transportation in Europe stated that governments must ensure sufficient resources for regulatory institutions “Offloading the responsibility of monitoring the market to independent certification schemes like ISCC is not enough,” he concluded Banner image: Sugarcane harvest in São Paulo state Image by Edrossini courtesy of English Wikipedia The “fortress conservation” model is under pressure in East Africa as protected areas become battlegrounds over history and global efforts to halt biodiversity loss Mongabay’s Special Issue goes beyond the region’s world-renowned safaris to examine how rural communities and governments are reckoning with conservation’s colonial origins and trying to forge a path forward […] The page you requested was not found on our site To the homepage RIO DE JANEIRO/BRASILIA (Reuters) – Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro said on Tuesday that mysterious oil slicks polluting northeastern beaches likely had criminal origins Bolsonaro also appeared to row back comments from Monday when he suggested the oil could be from a shipwrecked vessel suggesting the evidence did not suggest such a cause He also said he did not want to blame another country without proof It is more probable that something was dumped there criminally,” Bolsonaro told reporters A study by state-run oil company Petroleo Brasileiro SA according to a person familiar with the matter who suggested that the volume of oil pointed to a sunken oil tanker Petrobras said that molecular tests on the organic material in samples of the crude oil showed they were not compatible with the oils it produced and sold The company declined to say whether the oil slicks were from Venezuelan crude The oil has washed up in recent weeks on more than 100 beaches in nine northeastern states from Maranhao to Bahia Its origin has generated an array of speculative explanations amid growing environmental concern “It does not look like a criminal spill It seems to be accidental,” said the person familiar with the Petrobras study who requested anonymity because the report is not public Speaking before a Congressional hearing on Tuesday Petrobras Chief Executive Roberto Castello Branco said the amount of crude collected so far – over 500 barrels – rules out the source being an oil tanker cleaning its tanks at sea The presence of oil along such a extension of coastline indicates that “something extraordinary” had happened that it was not the company’s responsibility to investigate where the oil had come from because that was the job of the Brazilian Navy and police Powered by PageSuite