Citing climate change, a federal court in Brazil halts rainforest highway paving

Associated Press

BRASILIA, Brazil (AP) — In an unusual action, a Brazilian federal court has halted a project to pave a dirt highway that connects the major city of Manaus to populous regions, citing the likelihood it will contribute to climate change. The court on Wednesday suspended a key environmental permit after the Climate Observatory — a network of 107 environmental, civil society and academic groups — argued a preliminary environmental permit could lead to mass clearing of pristine rainforest.  About half of Brazil’s carbon emissions come from clearing native vegetation.