Brazil: Lula da Silva nominates conservationist Marina Silva as environment minister

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Brazil's President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva presents his old and new Environment Minister Marina Silva

Photo: Eraldo Peres/AP

A few days before taking office on New Year's Day, future Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva nominated prominent conservationist and former presidential candidate Marina Silva as environment minister.

“I thank Lula for the trust.

Together we will rise to the challenge and save and update the social-ecological agenda," Silva wrote on Twitter on Thursday.

The 64-year-old had already headed the department during Lula's first two terms in office, from 2003 to 2008.

After arguments about the direction of environmental policy, she finally resigned.

Silva accused Lula of not doing enough to help protect the Amazon.

Silva grew up in a rubber collectors' settlement in the Amazon region and had to help with the work as a child.

She later studied history, joined the left-wing Labor Party (PT) and founded a union in the Amazon state of Acre together with environmentalist Chico Mendes, who was later murdered.

In 1994, at the age of 36, she became the youngest member of the Senate to date.

In 2010 and 2014 she competed in the presidential elections and took third place in each case.

Amazon region decisive for the global climate

Lula has already announced a new environmental and climate policy after his right-wing predecessor, Jair Bolsonaro, saw the Amazon region primarily as an area of ​​economic potential and did nothing to combat increasing deforestation.

Because the rainforest can store large amounts of CO₂, it is also of crucial importance for the global climate.

The Ministry of the Environment in the largest and most populous country in South America is of crucial importance from the point of view of international observers.

Deforestation in the Amazon region had increased significantly under Lula's right-wing predecessor, Jair Bolsonaro.

In total, the left-leaning government is said to have 37 ministers.

For the first time in Brazilian history there will also be a Ministry of Indigenous Peoples.

Lula appointed 48-year-old Sonia Guajajara to be its boss.

The indigenous leader was included in the list of the 100 most influential people in the world by the US magazine "Time".

On January 1, 77-year-old Lula will take up the presidency.

He narrowly defeated Bolsonaro in a runoff election at the end of October.

kfr/AFP/dpa