In climate change fight, Brazil owes nothing, minister says

Desdemona Despair

By Simone Preissler Iglesias, Mario Sergio Lima, and Bruce Douglas
8 January 2019

(Bloomberg News) – Brazil owes nothing in the fight against global climate change and should be paid for its work so far, according to the country’s new environment minister.

For Ricardo Salles, the Paris Accord in itself is neither good nor bad, but it must bring economic benefits to Brazil. If the agreement limits production or the use of land, Brazil could withdraw.

“Brazil is not a debtor. We’re creditors,” he told Bloomberg News at his office in Brasilia referring to the country’s relatively clean energy matrix, reduction of deforestation and reforestation efforts in recent years. “Our part needs to be remunerated, and regarding what we’ve done so far, the question is by how much, when, and how?”

The $722 million Amazon Fund, which supports preservation and anti-deforestation projects, is financed primarily by Norway and Germany. The Scandinavian country announced in December it would pay $70 million to Brazil for reduced emissions from deforestation in 2017.

Brazil President Jair Bolsonaro backtracked on plans to scrap the environment ministry under pressure from the country’s powerful farm lobby that feared repercussions from international consumers concerned with sustainable agriculture. Conflict between producers and environmentalists has been artificially exaggerated, Salles said, and it’s perfectly possible to reconcile economic development with the preservation of the country’s natural resources.

“When you have more economic development, you attract more resources. When wealth circulates in the country, then you have more money to care for the environment,” he said.

As for global concerns over the deforestation of the Amazon rainforest, Salles noted that the bulk of the area belongs to Brazil and those parts not owned by the state have private landowners who must be compensated if they are to leave parts of their property undeveloped.

In response to claims that farmers are illegally deforesting the Amazon, Salles said that up to two-thirds takes place in indigenous reserves or conservation areas, both administered by the government. “Who is incompetent, neglected their job? Public institutions,” he said.

Data on the ministry’s own website, however, show that in 2018 deforestation in indigenous reserves and conservation areas constituted just 15 percent of the total.

For environmentalists such as Claudio Angelo, from the Observatorio do Clima, Salles’ argument is merely a variation on the theme of sovereignty long used by Brazilian governments.

“The latest version is ’we did more than everyone else, so shut up’,” he said. “This is an idea that, besides being false, paves the way to climate hell.” [more]

In Climate Change Fight, Brazil Owes Nothing, Minister Says