Brazil is making important progress in strengthening how environmental damages are assessed within the judicial system. Through the National Council of Justice (CNJ), the Environmental Forum of the Judiciary (FONAMB) is developing guidance to help judges and courts quantify environmental damages and determine appropriate forms of reparation. However, assessing damages affecting Indigenous Peoples and traditional communities presents additional challenges, as environmental impacts can extend beyond ecological losses to affect territories, livelihoods, health, cultural practices, and other dimensions of community life.
To help address this gap, Instituto Socioambiental (ISA) and Conservation Strategy Fund (CSF) are working together to develop the foundation for a new tool to support the valuation of environmental and climate damages in Indigenous and traditional community territories. The initiative brings together ISA’s experience advancing socio-environmental rights and public policy with CSF’s expertise in economic valuation and the development of practical tools for environmental decision-making.
The project will engage judges and technical experts to identify the types of damages and information most relevant to judicial cases involving collective territories. Drawing on these perspectives and available scientific evidence, CSF will develop the conceptual framework for the future calculator and a visual prototype demonstrating how the tool could support the assessment and presentation of environmental and climate damages.
By combining technical evidence with the practical needs of the Brazilian Judiciary, the initiative aims to enable a more comprehensive and consistent approach to environmental and climate damages affecting Indigenous Peoples and traditional communities, providing stronger evidence for judicial decision-making and environmental accountability.
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Photo: Canva image.