New Brazil Congress poses risk to environmental legislation, campaign group says

By Lisandra Paraguassu

BRASILIA, Oct 8 (Reuters) - Brazil's next Congress is likely to pose a greater obstacle to legislation to protect the environment after ‌elections this month, according to a study by climate advocacy group Observatorio ‌do Clima, which found that almost 70% of elected lawmakers have little or no commitment to environmental ​issues.

The study analyzed bills, legislative proposals, speeches and public statements by new and re-elected lawmakers and concluded that 64 of the Senate's 81 members have a track record of "very low" or "low" commitment to environmental issues. In the lower house, 345 of ‌511 lawmakers were placed in ⁠the same category.

The Liberal Party, home to right-wing Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, who will face President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in ⁠a runoff election for the presidency later this month, has the weakest environmental credentials among major parties, the study found.

Bolsonaro defied pollsters to beat Lula in the first ​round, though ​he did not secure enough votes to ​avoid a second vote.

All of ‌the party's 28 senators elected on Sunday, as well as members elected to the lower house, were classified as having very low commitment to environmental issues.

Other right-leaning parties, including Novo, Republicanos, Progressistas and Uniao Brasil, also showed low support for environmental causes, the study said.

Environmental advocates could face a more challenging political landscape with ‌Congress shifting further to the right and ​if Bolsonaro -- whose past comments on climate change ​have caused concern -- is elected president, ​Observatorio do Clima said.

Reuters contacted the named parties but did ‌not receive responses.

Proposals that could weaken ​environmental protections, including measures ​to reduce protected areas, allow mining on Indigenous lands and ease environmental licensing requirements, may gain momentum under the new Congress, the group added.

"This ​picture points to four ‌years of difficult work for those focused on climate and environmental issues," ​said Suely Araujo, the group's public policy coordinator.

(Reporting by Lisandra Paraguassu; ​Editing by Oliver Griffin and Andrea Ricci )