Camarada, Can You Spare a Few Dollars For the Amazon? Brazil Establishes Forest Fund
by Matthew McDermott, New York, NY on 08. 1.08
photo: Getty Images
In an effort to raise money to prevent deforestation and preserve remaining areas of the Amazon rainforest, Brazil has announced that it has established an international fund for forest protection. Brazilian president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has signed a decree establishing The Amazon Fund, which will be able to receive up to US$21 billion over the next 13 years. Donations in the first year will be capped at $1 billion.
Norway the First Nation to Donate
On announcement, the fund is already a tenth of the way towards that first year cap. Norway has pledged to donate $100 million in September. Any money received will not be tax deductible or applicable to any carbon trading scheme.
The fund will be administed by the National Economic and Social Development Banks (BNDES). The bank’s director Eduardo de Mello has said, “Donations are voluntary and donors have no say over the use of the resources.”
Up to 20 percent of funds received can be used to preserve areas of the Brazil’s ecosystem outside of the Amazon region itself.
While I’m hopeful that The Amazon Fund is a step in the right direction of halting increasing rainforest deforestation, only time will tell if Brazil will be able to fully hold on to the environmental gains that these donations may enable.
via :: Yahoo News
Apologies to any Portugeuse speakers if there's a better word than camarada for buddy, or pal. That was the intent of the headline.
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Tusen tak, Norway! Now, let's see other countries step up to the plate and equal Norway's donation!
"camarada" is perfect! good job! Hopefully the Brazilian Government will know how to handle the donations in a responsible way. Even though there should be no "say" over how the money will be used, the Government should establish an open channel of communication with as much transparency as possible. As a "brasileiro", I really hope this is a serious step towards preserving the Amazon and not just another scheme to fill the politicians pockets. In the past we have seen great initiatives go down the drain because of personal interests and personal bank accounts.
Brazil is such an incredible country it makes me sad having to post such a gloomy comment, but, as we say in Portuguese: chega de palhacada! (translated: stop clowning us around!).
The economy is moving in positive ways, the country is on a good track, let's keep pushing for future greatness and social responsibility.
Abraco!
Why donate to a government whose economic development policy is based on building large-scale infrastructure projects that devastate the Amazon? 70 large dams are planned in the rainforest over the next two decades - these will flood nature reserves and indigenous territories, and destroy the region´s biodiversity (see my blog http://www.internationalrivers.org/en/blog/glenn-switkes for news). More money for local projects to improve forest management, yes. More support from the international community for the rights of social and environmental activists whose lives are threatened by ranchers, loggers, and soy growers, yes. More money for the Brazilian bureaucracy to greenwash its Amazon destruction? No way.