THE LACK OF ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENTAL DAMAGE VALUATION - A CRITICAL REVIEW OF FUNDÃO DISASTER

ABSTRACT Critical events such as the disruption of the Fundão tailings dam, considered the biggest technological disaster in Brazil and the biggest of its category in the world, test the responsiveness of organizations in charge of protecting the environment. In the process of assign liability for damage, lawsuits initially proposed were replaced by settlements negotiated between companies, state agencies and the Public Prosecution Service, which previously have stipulated amounts for mitigation actions and environmental compensation. The economic valuation of environmental damage, despite being a tool capable of assisting in the quantification of environmental compensation, has not yet been adequately used in the initiatives to hold the Fundão dam case accountable. Preliminary diagnoses of the disaster have not sufficiently detailed the estimated economic values for environmental and socioeconomic repair, nor have they distinguished between the repairable damage and the irreparable ones that must be compensated. Due to the lack of clear definition of who is responsible for the economic valuation of environmental damage, Brazilian environmental protection institutions have not developed standardized procedures for this purpose, except in an incipient, experimental or particular way for certain types of damage. The implementation of civil liability settlements based on inaccurate diagnoses and values can compromise their effectiveness and perpetuate, without compensation, the damage to Brazilian environmental heritage.

【摘要】丰谷尾矿坝（Fundão tailings dam）溃决事件被认定为巴西史上规模最大的技术灾难，同时也是全球同类型灾难中影响最广的事件，此类临界事件对负责环境保护的机构的应急响应能力提出了严峻考验。在损害责任认定流程中，最初提起的诉讼已被企业、国家机关与巴西公共检察署（Public Prosecution Service）协商达成的和解协议所取代——后者此前已就减灾行动与环境赔偿事宜拟定了具体金额标准。尽管环境损害经济估值是可辅助量化环境赔偿的有效工具，但在丰谷尾矿坝事故的追责工作中，该方法尚未得到充分应用。本次灾害的初步诊断报告，既未充分明确环境与社会经济修复所需的预估经济价值，也未对可修复损害与需予以赔偿的不可修复损害作出明确区分。由于尚未清晰界定环境损害经济估值的责任主体，巴西环境保护机构尚未制定标准化的相关操作流程，仅针对部分类型的损害开展过初步、实验性或个案性的实践。若基于不准确的诊断与估值结果落实民事责任和解协议，不仅可能削弱协议的执行效力，还会导致巴西环境遗产所遭受的损害长期无法得到赔偿。