Os impactos da nova lei do Licenciamento Ambiental sobre as profissões da Área Ambiental no Brasil: quando o silêncio institucional também ameaça a herpetofauna

Abstract

Law 15.190/2025, which establishes a new framework for environmental licensing in Brazil, represents a significant change in how environmental impacts are  assessed in the country. This opinion article examines the potential implications of this legislation not only for ecosystems and ecosystem services, but also for the labor market and professional practice of biologists, ecologists, and other specialists working in the environmental consulting sector. Particular emphasis is given to herpetology, a field that has substantially benefited from environmental impact studies as a source of primary data on the distribution, natural history, 
and conservation of amphibians and reptiles. The role of the Federal Council of Biology (CFBio) is also discussed, with attention to its institutional responses and its potential contribution to the protection of professional working conditions. It is argued that changes in the scope and quality of environmental studies may influence both knowledge production and the structure of technical-scientific 
work in this sector.