Close
Search
Menu Menu
[gtranslate]

Cattle farmer fined $50 million for damaging Amazon rainforest

Credit: Unsplash
By
London, UK
0 comments
0 comments

A Brazilian rancher has been ordered to pay a whopping $50 million fine after destroying a large swathe of the Amazon rainforest to make space for cattle farming. He’s also been ordered to restore the area, which will be no small feat.

Last week, a Brazilian federal court froze the assets of cattle farmer Dirceu Kruger to pay for the damage he caused to the Amazon Rainforest and the global climate.

The rancher is responsible for causing widespread deforestation in the Amazon to make space for cattle farms. He used chainsaws to cut trees, then set fire to the area to clear the land, and planted grass intended for grazing cattle. This damage is visible from satellite images.

Brazil’s attorney general office brought the case to court, representing the Brazilian Institute of Environment and Renewable Natural Resources (IBAMA). This was not IBAMA’s first encounter with Kruger, having previously forced him to pay a fine after he destroyed 5,600 hectares of government-owned forestland in both the Boca do Acre and Lárea municipalities.

Building the most recent case, lawyers pointed out that Kruger had not only caused significant damage to the Amazon, but had also harmed the planet’s climate system. He did so firstly by burning vegetation, which emits carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, but also by eliminating part of a vital carbon sink.

Why is clearing the Amazon rainforest such a big deal?

The Amazon rainforest is famous for being the most biologically diverse place on Earth, but it also plays a key role in regulating our global climate. Despite this, it has continued to be threatened by human activity, including legal and illegal logging, farming, and ranching.

For each hectare of rainforest destroyed in the Amazon, an average 161 tons of carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere. The amount of CO2 released by Kruger’s activity totalled a massive 901,600 tons.

To assess the financial cost of the rancher’s environmental destruction, the court consulted the ‘Social Cost of Carbon’ calculator created by the US Environmental Protection Agency and Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).

It estimates that releasing just one ton of carbon results in $65 in damages, though other estimates suggest the figure is significantly higher. By this measurement, Kruger’s total damages reached 292m Brazilian reais – equal to $50 million USD.

Ouch.

A monumental case

The punishments given to Dirceu Kruger don’t stop there.

Once he pays the $50 million fine, it will be put towards Brazil’s national climate emergency fund. In addition, he will be prohibited from receiving government finance and tax benefits. He is also barred from selling cattle or agricultural goods and banned from purchasing tools like chainsaws and tractors.

Finally, Kruger will pay in the form of reparations. Alongside his legal and financial orders, has been ordered to restore the land he degraded. The court agreed that this two pronged approach is important, as damage caused by deforestation cannot ever be fully corrected.

Brazil’s attorney general’s office has stated that it will continue to take action which holds companies and individuals responsible for the destruction of the Amazon, as well as other Brazilian biomes.

This may be the biggest case the office ever brought to court, but with the rainforest being increasingly understood as vital for our planet’s survival, it will certainly not be the last.

Senior Writer & Media Coordinator London, UK

I’m Jessica (She/Her). I’m the Deputy Editor & Content Partnership Manager at Thred. Originally from the island of Bermuda, I specialise in writing about ocean health and marine conservation, but you can also find me delving into pop culture, health and wellness, plus sustainability in the beauty and fashion industries. Follow me on Twitter, LinkedIn and drop me some ideas/feedback via email.

Popular

Keep up with thred by signing up to our planet-positive newsletter!

More from thred.

Why are we still lowballing women in 2025?
Credit: Golden Globes
People

Why are we still lowballing women in 2025?

Nikki Glaser’s Golden Globes paycheque has reignited the age-old issue of the gender pay gap. When will talented women be adequately rewarded for their work in a relentlessly unappreciative industry?  The Golden Globes kicked off 2025’s awards season with a milk-glass-full of memorable moments. And if you didn’t get that Babygirl reference, then I assume you don’t care enough about the Hollywood news cycle to sacrifice over four hours (if...

By Brighton, UK
Is there a ‘perfect’ level of sick pay?
Credit: Pexels
People

Is there a ‘perfect’ level of sick pay?

As we enter peak flu season, more companies are grappling with questions about sick leave. But is there a ‘right’ amount of statutory sick pay? And how much is too much?  If you’ve entered the new year with a blocked nose, you’re not alone. It feels like the morning commute has been peppered with coughs and sneezes for the past week. A trip to the shops transformed into a minefield...

By Brighton, UK
Inside the ‘moonshot’ plan to rewild an area larger than London
Credit: Unsplash
Planet

Inside the ‘moonshot’ plan to rewild an area larger than London

As The National Trust marks its 130-year anniversary, it has announced a decade-long plan to rewild an area bigger than the size of Greater London.  The UK’s National Trust is the biggest conservation charity in Europe, with 5.37 million members, 10,000 staff, and thousands of volunteers. Entering 130 years in operation, the charity is responsible for protecting over 250,000 hectares of farmland, 780 miles of coastland, and more than 500 historic...

By London, UK
Opinion – Blake Lively drama shows we’re still quick to hate women
Credit: Sony Pictures
Media

Opinion – Blake Lively drama shows we’re still quick to hate women

Blake Lively proves our desire to watch successful women burn is both pervasive and insidious. But are times finally changing?  When Colleen Hoover’s wildly successful novel ‘It Ends With Us’ was released as a feature film last year, the media went wild. But besides the dedicated fans who lined up to see their favourite characters on the silver screen, much of the attention shifted to on-set issues.  It was somewhat surreal...

By Brighton, UK
Accessibility