ENVIRONMENTAL LIABILITY IN PUBLIC CONTRACTS: PETROBRAS S.A. AS A PARADIGMATIC REFERENCE FOR JOINT LIABILITY ACCORDING TO THE STJ (Superior Court of Justice)

Abstract

The article analyzes administrative and civil liability for environmental damage in public contracts, focusing on joint liability between the public authority and the contractor according to the jurisprudence of the Brazilian Superior Court of Justice (STJ). Petrobrás S.A. is adopted as the central empirical reference due to its legal nature and the complexity of its contracts in sectors with high environmental impact. The study examines strict environmental liability, the duty of governmental oversight, and joint liability as an instrument for ensuring effective environmental protection, highlighting the challenges of reconciling economic development with environmental protection.