CiR2P Option 17 | Transition from military to civilian government

DISCUSSION:

Encouraging the transition from a military to civilian government can deliver improved environmental performance. While non-democratic and democratic governments alike have pretty dismal records on climate and emissions as well as broader environmental protection, countries with military dictatorships do tend to have particularly bad environmental records that have improved with a transition to a civilian government.

For example, the Brazilian military, in direct control of the country’s federal government between 1964 and 1985, played a prominent role in setting in motion events that caused the deforestation of vast areas of the Amazon. The so-called slash-and-burn policies of this era, at their peak, led to more than 31 000 km2 of forest – an area the size of Belgium — being destroyed each year. A new political climate under the New Republic post-1985 allowed open debate, activists and politicians to mount a vocal campaign condemning the environmental and social consequences of the regime’s approach to the Amazon. A series of reforms in the 2000s caused annual average deforestation to drop to 6400 km2 per year in 2011.

A successful transition from military to civilian government must include constitutional and political change, as well as establishing transparent revenue collection and distribution processes.

These elements offer entry points for Western governments to inject climate action approaches.

For example, the right to a safe natural environment can be included as a provision during constitution making, and anti-corruption operations and activities related to natural resources can be funded.