In Davos, Switzerland, President of the Brazilian Federal Supreme Court Advocates for Amazon Protection and Debates Artificial Intelligence Regulation

January 17, 2024

The role of the Amazon in tackling climate change, the regulation of artificial intelligence (AI), and the challenges facing Latin America were the topics addressed by the President of the Brazilian Federal Supreme Court (STF), Justice Luís Roberto Barroso, in his participation this Wednesday (17th) at the World Economic Forum taking place in Davos (Switzerland).

Barroso was invited to participate in the event due to his connection with the forum's themes in his capacity as a judge and an academic - in addition to participating in discussions at Brazilian universities, the Justice also debates issues at universities around the world.

Challenges in Latin America

In his first intervention, Justice Barroso spoke in a session about the current moment in Latin America, alongside the Presidents of Colombia, Gustavo Petro, and Ecuador, Daniel Azin, the Vice-President of the Dominican Republic, Raquel Pena, and the President of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), Ilan Goldfajn.

The President of the Supreme Court highlighted points to tackle poverty, such as minimum income programs and investment in quality basic education. In his view, without economic growth, it's not possible to combat poverty and distribute income. It's necessary to recognize the limitations of the public sector and attract private investments. He also mentioned the importance of legal security, with an efficient and stable regulatory framework and a tax regime that encourages entrepreneurship.

Barroso also emphasized the challenge of public safety in the region, as Latin America is the most violent continent on the planet concerning common criminality, and he noted that the situation has worsened in various countries due to conflicts and crimes associated with drug trafficking. "Episodes like the ones recently seen in Ecuador are shocking but not isolated cases," he stated.

Among the positive aspects presented in the region, Barroso pointed out that, "despite the occasional setback," the main countries have had stabilized democracies for some decades. Moreover, he emphasized that Latin American societies are multiracial and multicultural, and, although countries like Brazil make an effort to overcome structural racism, there are no conflicts of that nature.

Access the video of the lecture.

Protection of the Amazon In his second lecture of the day, on a panel about the role of nature in climate change, the President of the STF proposed several paths to give economic and social viability to the Amazon Region, including significantly increasing the production and export of forest products.

For the Justice, the increased market participation does not exclude the importance of investing in technology and innovation for processes of transformation and adding value to these forest products, creating a more sophisticated bioeconomy.

Justice Barroso also mentioned other possible paths such as the recovery of degraded areas, investment in low-carbon and deforestation-free agribusiness, legal industrial mining accompanied by socio-environmental impact studies, legal logging with responsible forest management, green tourism, and payment for environmental services.

"Brazil has all the potential to become the world's leading environmental power. Besides having predominantly clean energy - water, which powers hydroelectric plants - we have enormous potential for renewable energy, such as solar, wind, and biomass. We are advancing in the energy transition," he affirmed.

Regulation of Artificial Intelligence

In the forum's third event, in addition to various bilateral meetings, the President of the STF partook in a conversation about the regulation of artificial intelligence. About 40 people, including members of the European and North American public sector and companies, discussed their research and concerns.

For the President of the STF, the regulation of artificial intelligence has become essential to address the risks of new technologies, but care must be taken so that restrictions do not stifle the momentum of innovation. Furthermore, Barroso believes it is necessary to prevent excessive regulation from creating a market reserve for established companies, creating a gap between them and new competitors who wish to enter the market.

Among the risks of artificial intelligence, the Justice highlights the impact on the labor market, its use for military purposes, the massification of misinformation, and the violation of privacy. Among the benefits, he points to improved decision-making capabilities in many areas, the automation of repetitive and taxing tasks for humans, applications in medicine, research, and innovation, practical everyday utilities, and impacts on the environment.

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