What the election could mean for the Amazon

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Next Sunday’s presidential election (30) could determine the fate of the Amazon rainforest, the largest tropical forest on the planet, after four years in which deforestation soared in the government of President Jair Bolsonaro (PL), who is a candidate for reelection.

Bolsonaro’s opponent, former president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) has promised to end all destruction in the Amazon and to act firmly against climate change.

Protecting the Amazon is vital to preventing catastrophic climate change, given the vast amount of greenhouse gases that the forest absorbs.

Why did deforestation go up in the Bolsonaro government?

Bolsonaro, who took office in early 2019, encouraged mining and agribusiness in the Amazon region, saying he would develop the region economically and help fight poverty.

The current president has weakened enforcement agencies, slashing budgets and staff and making it harder to punish environmental crimes.

His public criticism of conservation efforts has also encouraged loggers, ranchers and land grabbers to deforest without fear of government punishment, according to scientists and environmentalists.

How much has deforestation increased?

Destruction in the Amazon reached its highest level since 2006 last year, according to the National Institute for Space Research (Inpe). An area larger than the state of Alagoas was destroyed during the first three years of Bolsonaro’s government.

Preliminary government data indicates that deforestation grew by a further 23% in the first nine months of 2022.

What is Lula’s record in relation to deforestation?

Lula assumed the presidency in 2003 with deforestation in the Amazon near historic records. His government strengthened Ibama and created the Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation (ICMBio).
By 2010, his last year in power, deforestation had fallen by 72%, to one of the lowest figures in history.

However, Lula also supported the construction of the massive Belo Monte hydroelectric dam, which destroyed river habitats and displaced indigenous populations.

Deforestation began to rise again under the administration of her successor, former president Dilma Rousseff, who weakened some of the environmental policies to favor development in the region.

What does Bolsonaro promise for the environment?

Bolsonaro said little about his proposals for the environmental area if he wins a second term. A representative of his party, the PL, told Reuters that the campaign did not have a spokesperson to answer press questions on the matter.

Bolsonaro’s political platform emphasizes that Brazilians have the right to develop natural resources in the Amazon. Campaign documents praise initiatives by the Armed Forces, police and other agencies to combat deforestation and forest fires. However, the data shows that under Bolsonaro they have failed to reduce forest destruction.

What does Lula promise for the environment?

Lula promises to bring deforestation to zero by strengthening the government’s environmental agencies. His campaign compared his broad proposals to post-war reconstruction after the increasing environmental destruction under the current government.

He has largely committed himself to the principles of “climate justice”, saying that the environment can only be protected by increasing economic opportunities to reduce hunger and poverty. However, it is still unclear how he will fund his policies.

What do indigenous peoples say?

Indigenous groups broadly support Lula, who promises to empower them to protect their lands from environmental destruction.

Miners, loggers and land grabbers have increasingly invaded indigenous lands, committing murders of members of indigenous peoples during the Bolsonaro government, which suspended the process of demarcating indigenous lands.

(With Lisandra Paraguassu)

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