n his News In Depth story Mystery oil spill threatens marine sanctuary in Brazil (8 November 2019), H. Escobar describes the contamination of 2500 km of Brazil’s northeast coast caused by oil from an offshore oil spill, which is threatening marine biodiversity, livelihoods, and human health in one of the country’s most iconic and touristic places. The spill has already affected 15 marine protected areas and had incalculable impacts on wildlife and ecological services, which could last for decades. Escobar also mentioned the Brazilian government’s delayed action and disinformation campaign in response to the spill, but he does not sufficiently describe the government’s malfeasance.
Brazil’s federal government has been profoundly lax in the face of this environmental catastrophe. On 17 October 2019, the Federal Prosecution Service, responsible for ensuring social and individual rights in matters of public interest, denounced the government’s inaction. The government responded that the Contingency Plan for Oil Pollution Incidents (5) had already been activated, with necessary adaptations, but never clarified what those adaptations were. This Contingency Plan was improperly implemented: It should have contained a comprehensive set of guidelines to organize an integrated action plan that mitigated further contamination from the spill and alleviated its impacts.
While the government neglected its responsibilities, volunteers from civil society risked their lives to help remove more than 5000 tons of oiled residue from 980 areas (6), including beaches and mangroves, often without support or personal protective equipment (7). State and local governments have collaborated as best as they can, but they depend on federal agencies’ direction and resources. The oil is no longer reaching the beaches (6), but environmental and human health monitoring will be necessary for several years (8).
2020 American Association for the Advancement of Science