Brazil’s environmental agency, IBAMA, has granted Petrobras, the state-owned oil company, an environmental license to begin offshore oil drilling near the mouth of the Amazon River. The license, issued on October 20, 2025, permits exploratory drilling in oil block FZA-M-059, located approximately 500 kilometers from the river’s mouth and 2.8 kilometers beneath the seafloor. This decision has sparked widespread condemnation from environmental organizations, who argue that it contradicts Brazil’s climate commitments, especially as the country prepares to host the COP30 climate summit in the Amazon Rainforest.
Project Scope and Corporate Justification
Petrobras describes the drilling as exploratory, aimed at assessing the economic viability of oil reserves in the region. The company claims this area represents a “new global energy frontier” and anticipates confirming the presence of commercially viable oil deposits. President Magda Chambriard stated that the license reflects Brazil’s commitment to national development and energy sovereignty. Drilling operations are set to begin immediately and are expected to last five months, directly overlapping with the COP30 summit, which is scheduled to take place in the Amazon later this year.
Environmental and Legal Backlash
The timing and location of the drilling have drawn sharp criticism. Suely Araújo, public policy coordinator at the Climate Observatory and former IBAMA head, accused President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva of undermining his climate leadership by approving the project. She announced that legal action will be pursued against the government in the coming days. Bruna Campos of the Center for International Environmental Law highlighted the irony of drilling for fossil fuels while hosting a climate summit, warning that oil exploration threatens marine biodiversity and the livelihoods of millions dependent on the Atlantic Ocean.
Ecological Risks and Scientific Warnings
Experts have raised alarms about the potential environmental consequences. Philip Fearnside, a senior researcher at the National Institute for Amazonian Research (INPA), noted that the region’s complex ocean currents mean a spill could affect up to eight countries. Additionally, IBAMA’s own prior assessment warned that drilling could damage the Amazon Reef, a 9,500-square-kilometer ecosystem of corals, sponges, and algae discovered less than a decade ago. Satellite studies have identified offshore oil platforms as major ocean polluters, with spills often going undetected due to their remote locations.
Carlos Nobre, co-chair of the Scientific Panel for the Amazon, emphasized that the Amazon is nearing a tipping point, beyond which large-scale dieback could occur if global warming exceeds 2°C or deforestation surpasses 20%. He stated there is no justification for new oil exploration given these risks. The decision thus places Brazil at a crossroads between economic development and environmental stewardship, with global implications for climate policy and biodiversity conservation.