ABSTRACT
This chapter aims to explore the use of Cultural Ecosystem Services (CES) valuation to assess intangible damages, particularly in supporting legal processes following socio-environmental disasters. It focuses on the 2015 collapse of the ‘Fundão’ tailings dam from mining activity in Brazil, specifically examining its impact on the Tupiniquim and Guarani Indigenous peoples. The results of the CES valuation were shared with Indigenous leaders and Brazilian judicial institutions between 2020 and 2021 for consideration in damage reparation negotiations. The chapter begins by discussing the application of ecosystem services valuation in judicial contexts for socio-environmental disasters. It then outlines the Fundão Dam collapse and its effects on the Tupiniquim and Guarani Indigenous communities. Following this, it describes the methodology, summarizes the CES valuation results, and provides updates on the judicial proceedings. Finally, it discusses the advantages and challenges of using sociocultural valuation of CES to support legal processes, concluding with final remarks.
