Brazil: Lula announces a new plan against deforestation in the Amazon

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva presented on Monday (June 5th) a new plan to combat illegal deforestation in the Amazon, one of the priorities of his government since his return to power. "Brazil, especially thanks to the Amazon rainforest, has great importance in the climate balance of the planet (...) preventing deforestation in the Amazon also means helping to reduce global warming," Lula said at a reception at the presidential palace in Brasília. This plan marks the return of the theme as a "priority, after four in indifference and abandonment," he added, on the occasion of World Environment Day.

The leftist president, accompanied in particular by his Minister of the Environment Marina Silva, was referring to the mandate of former far-right leader Jair Bolsonaro (2019-2022), during which average annual deforestation has increased by 75% compared to the previous decade. The program announced by Lula resumes that created in 2004 during his first presidency (2003-2006), but paused by Bolsonaro. Lula, back in power since January, has made environmental protection one of his priorities, and wants to see Brazil become a global example by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and ending illegal deforestation by 2030.

The presentation of the plan, however, comes a week after the conservative Congress dealt several blows to Lula and his agenda in this area. The Ministry of the Environment has been stripped by MPs of its powers in terms of rural land cadastre - an essential lever to monitor and combat illegal deforestation - and the management of water resources. For the executive, these setbacks are a lesser evil that can avoid a complete restructuring of the team composed by Lula. The government will keep the same priorities despite this step backwards, Marina Silva told the press, assuring that everything would be done internally "so that the implementation (of the plan) is not compromised".