The far right and the environment in Brazil: a critical approach to Bolsonaro´s environmental policy

• Ano de defesa: 2025
• Autor(a) principal: Simões, Amanda S.
• Tipo de documento: Dissertação
• Tipo de acesso: Acesso aberto
• Idioma: eng
• Instituição de defesa: Biblioteca Digitais de Teses e Dissertações da USP
• Palavras-chave em Português: Bolsonaro; Brasil; Brazil; Climate policy; Environmental policy; Extrema-direita; Far-right; Política ambiental; Política climática
• Link de acesso: https://www.teses.usp.br/teses/disponiveis/101/101131/tde-08042025-095104/

The 21st century has witnessed the resurgence of far-right political movements globally, marked by pivotal events such as the 2008 economic crisis and the refugee crisis of the 2010s. While much of the scholarship has focused on the Global North, the rise of Jair Bolsonaro in Brazil illustrates how far-right ideologies adapt to Global South contexts. This research examines the intersection between far-right politics and environmental policies in Brazil during Bolsonaro\'s presidency, emphasising the interplay of political discourse, agribusiness influence, and climate change denial. Brazils unique position as the claimed breadbasket of the world and steward of the Amazon rainforesta critical ecological assetrenders its environmental policies crucial for international climate governance. Bolsonaro\'s administration pursued deregulation, deforestation, and weakening of oversight institutions, prioritising agribusiness interests over environmental conservation. These actions were accompanied by a sovereigntist and neo developmentalist rhetoric that echoed global far-right narratives, creating a distinctive Brazilian model of far-right environmental politics. Using qualitative methods, including case study analysis, historical materialism, and document review, this study explores the structural and ideological underpinnings of this phenomenon. It investigates how Bolsonaros government incorporated global far-right agendas into its domestic environmental policies and how these policies connected Brazil to the broader far-right movement. The research also assesses the impact of these policies on deforestation, resource management, and indigenous rights. Theoretically grounded in International Relations Critical Theory, the study critiques the economic and political structures that facilitated the rise of Brazils far-right and their exploitation of environmental issues. It highlights the role of agribusiness in shaping policy and examines the Bolsonaro administrations strategies to align with global far-right movements, contrasting them with European and North American paradigms. Additionally, it identifies counter-hegemonic forces challenging this alliance, especially indigenous peoples, contributing to debates on social transformation and climate justice. This research addresses significant gaps in understanding how far-right ideologies influence environmental governance in the Global South. By situating Brazils case within the global context, it sheds light on the broader implications of far-right environmental politics and offers critical insights into the intersections of ideology, power, and ecological preservation. Ultimately, this work aims to inform strategies for resisting the anti-environmental agenda of far-right regimes, fostering a fairer, and more sustainable future.