BLUE TALK with Blue Community Ambassador LÉO HELLER, former UN Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights to Drinking Water and Sanitation. He is currently Leading Researcher at the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Brazil, and visiting professor at King’s College London. The interview was done on Thursday, 11 December 2025.
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Quick recap
The meeting featured discussions with Leo Heller, a former UN Special Rapporteur on water and sanitation rights, who shared his current research and teaching work at institutions in Brazil and London. Heller expressed concerns about the trend of water privatization in Brazil and Latin America, criticizing its impact on vulnerable populations and contradicting the human rights framework. The conversation explored various aspects of water privatization, including its financial implications, challenges of re-municipalization, and the role of environmental justice movements in opposing privatization efforts.
Summary
Water Rights and Privatization Critique
Léo Heller, a professor and researcher from Brazil, discussed his work on water and sanitation, focusing on vulnerable populations and the impact of privatization in Brazil. He highlighted the need to address the human rights to water and sanitation in policy formulation and criticized the current trend of privatization, which he believes contradicts this framework. Léo acknowledged some progress globally in recognizing these rights but expressed concern about the pace of progress and the lack of focus on human rights in development cooperation. He also criticized the outcome of the recent COP30 in Brazil, where water and sanitation issues were not adequately addressed.
COP30’s Weaknesses and Environmental Contradictions
Léo Heller expressed concerns with the outcomes of COP30, describing them as weak in terms of controlling emissions and reducing oil consumption, while noting some progress in discussions on climate change and health. He highlighted the absence of water and sanitation issues in the climate narrative, emphasizing their direct link to health and quality of life, and criticized the fragile nature of international agreements, which can be vetoed by powerful countries. Roland asked about the contradiction in Brazil’s environmental policies under President Lula da Silva, who promotes environmental protection but also supports highway construction in the Amazon and new oil licenses.
Brazil’s Water Privatization Challenges
Léo Heller discussed the political and environmental challenges in Brazil, highlighting President Lula’s good intentions contrasted by a conservative Congress and internal contradictions within his government. He explained the rapid increase in water and sanitation privatization since 2020, with over 50% of the Brazilian population now served by private companies, and expressed concerns about the loss of cross-subsidies and impacts on vulnerable populations, particularly in rural areas.
Water Privatization Trends in Latin America
The discussion focused on water privatization trends in Latin America, where Léo Heller emphasized that while Brazil and Argentina represent concerning cases of privatization, the region overall shows a diverse pattern rather than a unified trend. He highlighted how financialization of water services in Brazil has led companies to prioritize investor returns over service provision, with companies requiring stable institutional environments and being hesitant to invest in regions with high economic risks. The conversation concluded with an emphasis on the role of environmental justice movements in opposing privatization and promoting re-municipalization, drawing lessons from Northern countries’ experiences.
Water Privatization: Lessons from UK
Léo Heller discussed the privatization of water services, using the UK as a case study to highlight the failures of privatization, including high CEO salaries and lack of investment. He mentioned a joint project with ONDAS to research and publish a book on this topic. Léo Heller also explained the challenges of re-municipalizing services and the importance of human rights in water and sanitation. He suggested that Blue Communities play a role in disseminating the meaning of human rights, promoting good practices, and engaging in political advocacy.
