Amazon: Joe Biden puts pressure on Bolzano

The new Bolzano has arrived! On April 22, during a “virtual” climate summit chaired by Brazilian President Joe Biden, the green tie and calm tone began to speak of “collective responsibility” in the fight against global warming. He abandoned his usual practices against those who were accused of the environment.

The reason for this sudden transformation? After befriending Donald Trump, the far-right leader must now comply with the new US administration. However, during his election campaign, Joe Biden threatened Brazil – which is 60% Amazon’s abode – with “significant economic consequences” if deforestation did not stop. “We have to adapt to the new times,” says Eduardo Viola, a climate negotiator at the University of Brasilia.

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Under pressure from Europeans, Jair Bolzano left the Paris Agreement on climate change, but he did not respect it. “For him, for the whole section of Brazilian public opinion, the climate crisis is a fraud, a break for growth,” continues Professor Viola. His government therefore relaxed surveillance of land clearing and reduced the budget of the Brazilian Agency for Environment and Renewable Natural Resources (IBAMA), which is responsible for enforcing environmental laws. The autonomy of its agents was limited.

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In one year, the equivalent of Ile-de-France was destroyed

So the path was clear to breeders, lockers and others Land grabbers (Those who illegally own the land) take control of the Amazon. As a result, deforestation has been at an all-time high for twelve years. In 2020 alone, the forest lost 11,000 square kilometers of vegetation, part of the Ile-de-France.

However, land settlement represents the main source of Brazilian greenhouse gas emissions. Trees that store large amounts of CO2 are released into the atmosphere when they are cut down. This explains it: Brazil is the sixth most polluted country in the world. “However, Joe Biden is not interested in upsetting Bolsanaro much, otherwise he will be thrown into China’s hands,” Eudardo Viola explains.

In a letter to his American opponent, the Brazilian president promised to eliminate illegal land clearing by 2030. “We look forward to taking immediate action to ensure that this announcement yields definitive results,” Ambassador John Kerry responded. Joe Biden’s climate special.

Guilhermo Cassaros, professor of international relations at the Kettulio-Vargas Foundation, did not ultimately rule out trade sanctions. “Fiden will give Bolsanaro time to turn around,” the expert commented. But Brazil’s room for maneuvering is narrow. Do things because you don’t have to comply. ”

As for the military, they have traditionally created opposition to this subtle matter, which is one thing. Historically, the colonization of the Amazon by the Brazilian people reflected in their view a strategic purpose and the issue of national sovereignty. For them, the fate of the forest is definitely a Brazilian affair. “However, Cazaros insists the military is a pillar of the Bolsanaro government …”