The Minister of Environment and Climate Change, João Paulo Capobianco, stated this Thursday (11) that he will resort to all legal tools to try to prevent the changes to the Forest Code that the Chamber of Deputies approved on May 19 from coming into force. The new rules still need to be approved by the Senate and sanctioned by the President of the Republic, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who can approve or veto them, in whole or in part. Related news: Public and private entities ask for a pact under the Forest Code. New technologies help firefighters protect the Cerrado from fires. Deforestation in the Amazon falls 61.4% in May 2026. "We are working so that the Senate makes this unfeasible. If we cannot do so, we will ask [the president] to veto [the changes approved in the Chamber]", said Capobianco when participating in Good Morning, Minister. The program is a co-production of the Secretariat of Social Communication (Secom) of the Presidency of the Republic and Canal Gov, broadcast on the channels of Empresa Brasil de Comunicação (EBC). “And if the [presidential] veto is overturned [by federal deputies and senators], we will certainly appeal to the Federal Supreme Court,” added Capobianco. For the minister, the wording of Bill No. 364/19 that the Chamber approved relaxes environmental protection rules in biomes such as Pantanal, Cerrado and Pampas, in addition to certain areas of the Amazon and high-altitude fields of the Atlantic Forest. "It's a mistake. [A decision] absolutely unconstitutional [..] And [if necessary] we will go to the STF to question how, after a century of successful legislation, the country decides to eliminate the protection of the diversity of our biomes", continued the minister. Capobianco also said that the Chamber's decision to classify the so-called general and native fields throughout the country as consolidated rural areas was "very serious." With the change, the cutting of vegetation in these rural areas can be done without prior authorization from the responsible body or compensatory measures, even when covered by rural vegetation and recognized as important for the protection of endemic species, springs and headwaters. “There are different plant characteristics [...] but the Chamber decided to establish a rule that only forests will be protected, and that other vegetation will not be”, criticized the minister, highlighting the importance of the Forest Code to protect all Brazilian biodiversity. According to Capobianco, Brazil today has one of the most advanced environmental legislations in the world, but the Public Power is always faced with strong political and economic pressure from productive sectors. "We are moving forward, improving [the legislation], but, unfortunately, at times, we have setbacks. Often, to meet sectoral interests. We have negotiated, permanently dialogued with Congress, but, at times, we have lost [disputes]", concluded the minister.