By Livia Porto; Luísa Sasaki; Ekaterina (Katherine) Iosifova; Candence Willis.
Going Global: A Legal Podcast for Today’s Global Challenges is a collaborative Podcast series between Newcastle Law School and São Paulo State University (Unesp). It is dedicated to discussing contemporary legal issues related to global transformations and the challenges faced by the international (and post national) community. This series comprises three episodes that will explore Extractivism as a global issue. This is Episode 1 ‘Introduction to Global issues: regulating extractivism in a divided world’. Itis hosted by Livia Porto and Luísa Sasaki (Unesp), and Ekaterina (Katherine) Iosifova and Candence Willis (Newcastle University).
In this episode, we welcome Professor Eduardo Saad-Diniz and João Victor Gianecchini to discuss the intersections between extractivism, global geopolitics, environmental governance, and international law. Professor Eduardo Saad-Diniz holds a Habilitation in Criminology and a PhD in Criminal Law from the University of São Paulo (USP) and is also affiliated with the ARC Foundation – Amazonia R&D Center in Manaus, Brazil. João Victor Gianecchini is a PhD candidate at the University of Frankfurt, Germany, supported by a scholarship from the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung Foundation, and holds an LL.M. from USP.
The episode explores extractivism as a central issue in contemporary international debates. Extractivism as a concept surrounds the intensive exploitation of natural resources, especially in environmentally sensitive regions such as the Amazon rainforest. In a context marked by the worsening of environmental crises and the reorganization of international geopolitical relations, discussing extractivism becomes essential to understanding the economic, social, environmental, and legal impacts resulting from these activities.
The discussion examines how extractivist practices in the Amazon Rainforest are shaped by shifting global power dynamics and competing economic interests. The guests analyse the relationship between environmental degradation, resource exploitation, and contemporary geopolitical transformations, including the growing influence of BRICS countries and changing approaches to international cooperation. Particular attention is given to the implications of these developments for environmental governance through green criminology and the future of global responses to the climate crisis.
Another relevant issue discussed in the episode concerns environmental crimes and the limitations of domestic monitoring and investigative mechanisms in Brazil. In this context, the guests reflect on the possible role of international organizations and non-governmental organizations in overseeing extractivist activities and ensuring accountability for environmental harm at the local level and across borders. Furthermore, they discuss whether existing international institutions are sufficient to address such challenges or whether new global mechanisms for environmental protection should be created.
Finally, the episode turns its attention to the future of the Amazon rainforest and the urgent measures necessary to prevent the worsening of environmental degradation. The guests emphasize that the Amazon represents an issue of global relevance due to its environmental, social, economic, and climate impacts. By combining legal, geopolitical, and environmental perspectives, the episode offers a critical reflection on one of the most pressing debates of our time and highlights the importance of expanding international dialogue on sustainability, global governance, and environmental protection.