Minister Paulo Guedes (Economy) stated that he considers Brazil to be just a “small transgressor” in environmental preservation and that he will negotiate, during a trip to Paris starting this Saturday (26), a remuneration to be paid by other countries for environmental protection. of natural resources.
“Brazil is not the guy who pollutes the world. It is a small transgressor, a small polluter,” he said. “Every now and then there’s a forest that burns here and there,” she said.
The minister made the statements this Friday (25th) during a lecture to businessmen accompanied by the sheeton the eve of a trip to attend OECD (Organization for Economic Development Cooperation) meetings.
The minister calculates that Brazil can keep around 20% (or US$ 20 billion) of the total remuneration of US$ 100 billion to be created by the world to reward countries that preserve the environment.
“How do we reward those who preserved it? We are discussing this with them [outros paÃses]”, said Guedes. “Brazil has a green future,” he said.
The minister believes that it is necessary to restore the country’s image abroad in terms of the environment and that the funds can also be paid to countries like Indonesia and India. The three will occupy the temporary presidency of the G20 in the coming years, with Brazil in 2024.
The minister has suggested that the trio formulate a joint program during the presidency years, rather than individual goals, and combine efforts for environmental compensation. “We have to create this award,” he said.
According to the minister, Brazil accounts for 2% of global pollution, while countries like China account for 30%. “The United States burned 96% of the forests [do paÃs]”, he said.
The minister also stated that he heard from French authorities concerns about the fires in the Amazon while they themselves would not have protected the Notre Dame Cathedral, considered a heritage of humanity. “Imagine my difficulty in taking care of an area larger than Europe?”, he asked.
Guedes suggests that, in the future, the tax credits granted in the Manaus Free Trade Zone be transformed into a policy linked to carbon credits. “We’re going to give carbon credit-based tax breaks,” he said.
The minister’s statements contrast with the pressure exerted by other countries on the records of devastation being recorded in Brazil during the administration of President Jair Bolsonaro (PL), who during his term defended weakening mechanisms to protect the environment.
Guedes will be removed from office from March 26 to April 1, counting the displacement. In Paris, he will participate in a bilateral meeting with the secretary general of the OECD, in meetings with directors and permanent representatives of the Organization’s member countries, and in an event organized by the Brazilian Embassy in Paris with French businessmen.
From there, Guedes heads to Spain. In the capital Madrid, he will participate in a seminar at a university, in meetings with government authorities at an event held by the International Foundation for Freedom and in meetings with the Spanish press and businessmen.
According to the minister, of the hundreds of commitments that Brazil still needs to fulfill to join the OECD, around 70 are missing. It will be possible to join the Organization in about two years, he said, while other countries such as Argentina are further behind in the process.
Asked by a participant about the government’s communication in this election year, the minister said that he is planning to go abroad more often to talk about Brazil to foreigners as the reforms he seeks are already underway.
Guedes is still optimistic and said he hopes to carry out privatizations and concessions this year, such as those for Correios, Eletrobras, the ports of Santos and Vitória and the airports of Congonhas and Galeão.
The minister took the opportunity to counter possible criticism from the PT and pre-candidate Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva that the government seeks to sell state-owned companies and dispose of public assets. “Let’s say you [PT] they stole, they rigged it,” he said.
