ENVIRONMENATE CRITAL RACISM AND THE CLIMSIS IN RIO GRANDE DO SUL:

A LEGAL ANALYSIS OF THE SELECTIVITY OF IMPACTS

Abstract

The research aims to analyze the phenomenon of environ mental racism in the context of the climate crisis faced by Rio Grande do Sul in 2024, from a legal perspective on the selectivity of socio-environmental impacts. To this end, jurisprudential, doctrinal, and legalresearch methods were employed, in addition to the analysis of official and institutional data. Initially, the theoretical and legal foundations of racism and environmental racism were discussed, emphasizing their structural and historical nature in Brazil. Subsequently, the study verified the occurrence of this phenomenon during the climate tragedy that affected millions of inhabitants of Rio Grande do Sul, demonstrating that the most impacted populations were Black, Quilombola, Indige nous, and low-income communities, historically marginalized and located in areas of greater vulnerability. The analysis also showed that, although there is no explicit legal provision on environmental racism in the Brazilian legal system, it can be assessed by analogy to constitutional principles such as equality, human dignity, the social function of the city, and the right to an ecologically balanced environment. It is concluded that addressing the climate crisis requires inclusive public policies and the legal recognition of environmental racism as a condition for achieving socio-environmental and climate justice.