In a joint opinion piece, Brazilian singer Marisa Monte, cardiologist Ludhmila Hajjar, and lawyer Laura Schertel Mendes express strong concerns regarding the Chamber of Deputies' haste to vote on a project aimed at establishing a special tax regime for technology and datacenter companies. The proposed legislation, known as Redata (Regime Especial de Tributação para Serviços de Datacenter), is set for a vote, with the government pushing to pass it before a provisional measure expires on February 25. The authors highlight the urgency of the situation, indicating that such a rapid legislative process raises alarms about thorough consideration of the implications involved.

The three critics argue that Brazil risks becoming overly accommodating to datacenters rather than ensuring that these entities contribute positively to the country's development. They emphasize that discussions surrounding fiscal incentives to attract these businesses are occurring without sufficient analysis of the potential environmental impacts, energy consumption, and overall social returns of such a shift. The authors suggest that the legislative focus should not solely be on attracting datacenters, but rather on understanding how these developments align with Brazil's broader social and environmental goals.

Referencing recent trends in the United States and Europe, the authors argue that localized pushback against similar datacenter projects underscores the importance of community engagement and environmental considerations. They highlight instances where datacenter developments were halted due to community concerns, demonstrating how critical public sentiment can be in shaping these discussions. The article ultimately calls for a more reflective approach to policy-making regarding sensitive infrastructure such as datacenters, ensuring that all factors are responsibly evaluated before legislative decisions are made.