Brazil’s new Amazon laws

Hi all,

Last Wednesday in the wee hours, Brazil’s government passed a new law governing the use of large tracts of Amazon rainforest. The new forest code (código florestal in Portuguese) purportedly would allow trees to be cut down in areas totaling the area of the southern state of Parana, shown in green in the map below.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

While campaigning last year, Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff promised to prevent changes to the law which would allow for additional areas to be opened to cutting. She reportedly is not happy with the new law and will veto parts of it if it not amended by the Senate.

Another controversial section of the law would give amnesty to farmers and others who illegally cleared tracts of land prior to June of 2008. Anticipating amnesty and the opening up of new areas, farmers and developers in recent weeks began clearing large tracts before the actual  amendment of the law.

This is more than philosophical discussion. There is a lot at stake on both sides, and environmentalists and agribusiness have locked horns. Monday night or Tuesday morning of last week, Amazon activist José Ribeiro da Silva and his wife, Maria do Espirto Santo were shot near their home in the Amazon.

For additional coverage in English, you can visit The Guardian.

I’ll keep an eye on the news this week to see what happens next.

More soon,

John

 

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