The owners of Germany’s biggest airport have been accused of clearing swathes of forests to build a logistics warehouse in Brazil.
A lawsuit has been brought against Fraport AG, the owner of Frankfurt Airport in Germany, following accusations of environmental destruction.
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On Wednesday 18 March, Fortaleza city councillor Gabriel Biologia filed a class action lawsuit against the German firm, along with other regulatory public agencies, seeking compensation of 100 million Brazilian Reais (around €16.5 million).
The lawsuit alleges “irregularities and illegalities” related to the deforestation of an area of land located around Fortaleza International Airport in Brazil, which is being cleared to build a logistics warehouse. Fortaleza International Airport is a subsidiary of Fragport AG.
Frankfurt Airport owners hit with eco-lawsuit
According to the lawsuit, the deforestation and the development project “violate” the plan that was originally approved in the concession process conducted by ANAC, Brazil’s civil aviation authority, and contain “serious flaws in the environmental licensing process”.
The document also claims that public bodies have been complicit in the irregularities, allowing the destruction of the Atlantic Forest and triggering direct impacts on both wildlife and neighbouring communities.
It is claimed that more than 60 acres of Atlantic Forest – which is among the world’s top global biodiversity hot spots that houses one in 14 of the Earth’s total plant species – has been cut down to make room for the warehouse.
Biologia argues this is not just a case of unauthorised construction, and could be the “biggest environmental crime” Foraleza has seen in a decade.
“Our action aims to ensure the forest’s recovery and hold those who allowed this damage to occur to account,” she says.
‘Hell bent on profit’
Hannah Lawrence, a spokesperson for Stay Grounded, a group campaigning for a reduction in aviation to fight the climate crisis, says: “This case shows the inequality at the root of aviation expansion projects.
“Global corporations, hell bent on profit, destroy local communities and the environment and put all [of] our futures at risk. A few wealthy shareholders profit at the expense of communities like those in Fortaleza that bear the heavy burden.”
The case is now awaiting review by the judiciary and is being heard at the 7th Federal Court of Ceará, Brazil.
Euronews Green has contacted Fraport AG for comment.
