Environmental Criminal Liability of Legal Entities

The ecologically balanced environment, described and standardised in our 1988 Federal Constitution, even today, 30 (thirty) years after it was enacted and came into force, this protective regulation is still awaiting discussions, adjustments, modernisations and, above all, legislative applicability in terms of its effectiveness. In its broadest sense, "environment" means much more to humanity than what is simply described in national law or in technical and doctrinal concepts, as well as in other international legislation on the subject. Frighteningly, the extinction of animal and plant species is on the rise, as is the scarcity of mineral and natural resources, including drinking water, fertile soils (with the effect of desertification) and air in its natural essence, contaminated by pollutants. With regard to the subject, concepts technically applied to the matter will be analysed, as well as environmental legal sciences, their principles and the etymology of terms. As for the conceptual analysis, we will understand the environment, sustainability, damage, crimes, penalties, in their forms and severity.