Brazil: Lula wants to end deforestation in the Amazon
Brazil's President Lula promises to end deforestation in the Amazon region. The announcement gives the rainforest new hope.
Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva promised to end deforestation in the Amazon region following his election victory in Brazil.
At the celebration of his victory over the far-right incumbent Jair Bolsonaro, Lula pledged bolder environmental measures for the next four years.
«Let us fight for zero deforestation,» he said in his victory speech.
«Brazil is ready to resume its leading role in the fight against the climate crisis and to protect all our biomes, especially the Amazon rainforest.»
«Brazil will fight for a living Amazon; a standing tree is worth more than thousands of logs – that is why we will resume monitoring of the entire Amazon region and all illegal activities while simultaneously promoting sustainable development.»
«I look forward to working together on issues that matter to the United Kingdom and Brazil, from growing the global economy to protecting the planet's natural resources to promoting democratic values,» wrote British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Twitter.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said she looked forward to working with Lula to address urgent global challenges, from food security to trade to climate change.
The changed approach to environmental policy could also kick-start negotiations on a trade agreement between the EU and Mercosur – a South American trading bloc of which Brazil is a member.
The agreement was officially due to be concluded in 2019, but was delayed by European concerns – in particular those of French President Emmanuel Macron – regarding the Amazon rainforest.
«We will pool our forces to address our many common challenges and to retie the bond of friendship between our two countries», Macron tweeted after Lula's victory.
Norway wants to resume aid for the protection of the Amazon
On Monday, Norway announced that it will resume subsidies for the protection of the Amazon rainforest.
«We had a good and very close cooperation with the government before Bolsonaro, and deforestation in Brazil declined sharply during the previous presidency of Lula da Silva», said Environment Minister Espen Barthe Edie.
Norway was one of the largest donors of funds for the protection of the Brazilian rainforest. But deforestation has risen dramatically and reached a level that Barth Edie describes as «scandalous». When Bolsonaro came to power, the country suspended its aid in 2019.
Now the country wants to make contact with Lula's team as quickly as possible in order to «prepare the resumption of the historically good cooperation between Brazil and Norway».
The Brazilian Amazon is being ravaged by the worst fires in over a decade, fuelled by record-breaking deforestation.
Can Lula put an end to deforestation?
Lula's electoral victory could reduce deforestation in the Amazon by 89% over the next ten years, according to an analysis by Carbon Brief. But environmentalists are holding their breath, as Lula faces the enormous challenge of reversing Bolsonaro's harmful policies.
Steve Trent, co-founder of the non-governmental organisation Environmental Justice Foundation, says Bolsonaro leaves behind a legacy of weakened environmental laws, underfunded environmental agencies and record deforestation.
Lula's re-election means, Trent continues, that «people and nature have a chance to recover from the wilful destruction of the Bolsonaro years».
«He will, however, need all the support he can get to make Brazil a global leader in environmental protection once again.»
Lula now faces a «monumental» challenge in reversing the «deliberate environmental and human rights catastrophes» of the previous Brazilian president, according to Trent. The destruction of habitats is also one of the greatest threats to wildlife.
