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Brazil launches rainforest fund
by Luiz Castro | August 2, 2008 at 04:18 am | 566 views | 26 comments | 40 recommendations
Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has launched an international fund to protect the Amazon rainforest and help combat climate change.
I am working at a opinion article about the Amazon rainforest to be published tomorrow and this news have hit the international headlines. I am posting it to make the connection with my article tomorrow.
The fund will promote alternatives to forest-clearing for people living in the Amazon, and support conservation and sustainable development
Officials will seek donations abroad and aim to raise $21bn (£11bn) by 2021.
But a government minister said Brazil would not accept foreign interference in its Amazon policy.
The environmental group Greenpeace said it was the first time Brazil had accepted a link between global warming and preserving the rainforest.
'Sovereignty non-negotiable'
Speaking at the launch in Rio de Janeiro, President Lula said Brazil was aware of how much the Amazon meant to the wider world.
"It's better for the country's image to do things right, so we can walk in international forums with our heads high," he added.
But the Brazilian leader also insisted that the Amazon's preservation was Brazil's responsibility.
"We... want the sovereignty that we hold over Amazonian territory and the decisions that are made in this region to be respected," he said.
Roberto Mangabeira Unger, minister for strategic affairs, put the point more forcefully:
"The fund is a vehicle by which foreign governments can help support our initiatives without exerting any influence over our national policy.
"We are not going to trade sovereignty for money."
New thinking
Greenpeace in Brazil said that the country was accepting the link between global warming and preserving the forest for the first time.
"For a long time, Brazil was violently opposed to this, insisting fossil fuel was to blame," said Sergio Leitao, director of public policies for Greenpeace Brasil.
"That's true, historically speaking, but today forests play an important role."
Brazilian Environment Minister Carlos Minc called for a radical change in environmental attitudes:
"We are committed to reducing the destruction of the rainforest, to eliminating illegal burning and to guaranteeing a better quality of life for all.
"Our war is not won by simply reducing illegal burning in one month, it will be won once this environmental model that is destroying our communities and biodiversity is history.
August 2, 2008 at 04:18 am by Luiz Castro, 566 views, 26 comments
Crowd Power
Most RecentMost Recommended Comments (26)
at 04:50 on August 2nd, 2008
Luiz Castro, I like this story. Good news for Brazil, rainforest fund to fight climate change and more. Every second breath we make, the Oxygen is produced from Amazon rainforest trees
at 04:53 on August 2nd, 2008
Thank you for the flag and comment.
at 04:53 on August 2nd, 2008
Luiz Castro, I like this story. It's good stuff.
It is a good idea!
at 04:53 on August 2nd, 2008
Thank you Paschen, much appreciated!
at 05:22 on August 2nd, 2008
Luiz Castro, I like this story. It's good stuff.
at 05:28 on August 2nd, 2008
Luiz Castro, I like this story. It's good stuff. I look forward to the Opinion article!
at 08:08 on August 2nd, 2008
Thank you Rhonda, that will be very appreciated!
at 05:29 on August 2nd, 2008
Luiz Castro, I like this story. It's good stuff.
at 05:42 on August 2nd, 2008
Thank you all for the flag and comments!
at 06:38 on August 2nd, 2008
Luiz Castro, I like this story. It's good stuff. Hopefully we won't read about mass corruption in a few years. The money needs to be spent as they have stated, preservation.
at 08:05 on August 2nd, 2008
Hi Jennis, thank you for your flag and comments. We need to create a 10% fund to combat the "Global Corruption" LOL
at 07:01 on August 2nd, 2008
Luiz Castro, I like this story. It's good stuff. Three cheers for Brazil!
at 08:05 on August 2nd, 2008
René, your flag is much appreciated!
at 07:07 on August 2nd, 2008
Luiz Castro, I like this story. It's good stuff. i have a personal interest in brazil...my daughter-in-law being half brazilian, half pakistani.
at 08:06 on August 2nd, 2008
Thank you so much for your flag and comments, very nice to know that, maybe we can share some experice now.
Regards
at 07:43 on August 2nd, 2008
If castro is "Luiz Castro" your new virtual identity? How did you change it?
Please find here a sample of an Aljazeera´s article on this story. It might prove enlightening to your story.
Source: english.aljazeera.net
at 07:52 on August 2nd, 2008
Wealthy nations is code for America...
at 08:03 on August 2nd, 2008
Mpress, I wouldn't be worried about what Lula says, he have different speech depending on the audience. For US he usually shake the tale.
at 08:01 on August 2nd, 2008
Hi Rahul , Luiz Castro is my real name, thank you for your colaboration. I appreciate that!
at 13:50 on August 2nd, 2008
Hi Rahul, if castro account is deleted, I was wondering. Your Iconphoto is not Caracas do you know that?
at 09:18 on August 2nd, 2008
Luiz Castro, I like this story. It's good stuff.
at 09:50 on August 2nd, 2008
Thank you!
at 12:38 on August 2nd, 2008
This is great news - I'm looking forward to your piece tomorrow!
at 12:47 on August 2nd, 2008
Thank you Amy
at 13:17 on August 3rd, 2008
Luiz Castro, I like this story. It's good stuff. Great story, I will look for your opinion piece.
If you would like to catch up on some rain forest facts check out http://www.rain-tree.com/facts.htm.
There are some pretty interesting statistics about species of plants and animals. The sheer amount or prescription drugs that are derived from rain forest is astonishing.
at 13:29 on August 3rd, 2008
Thank you for the flag and comments. Very nice facts sheet!