On Monday, June 19, President Michel Temer signed the full veto of Provisional Measure (MP) 756 and a partial veto of MP 758, which threatened to reduce approximately 600 thousand hectares of protected forest areas in Brazil. If approved, they would affect the units of the Jamanxim National Forest (Flona), in the municipality of Novo Progresso (PA), and the Jamanxim National Park (Parna), in the municipalities of Itaituba and Trairão (PA) – and 20% of the São Joaquim Parna, one of the main refuges of the Atlantic Forest biodiversity, the most threatened biome in the country.
The decision was made hours before Temer and Environment Minister Sarney Filho flew to Oslo, Norway, for a meeting focused on the environmental agenda and cooperation between the countries. The Norwegian government is the main financier of the Amazon Fund, with contributions of R$2.8 billion since 2009. However, the protected areas are still at risk, as a proposal to reduce the amount could be resubmitted in the form of a Bill.
Public pressure
When making his decision, Temer faced pressure from opposing sides. In opposition to the ruralist caucus, several voices from civil society, the business sector and leaders of all types publicly expressed their call for a veto of the provisional measures. Six former Environment Ministers defended the veto in an article in the newspaper Valor Econômico, in addition to leaders such as Richard Branson, Jochen Zeitz, Guilherme Leal, Paul Polman, Yolanda Kakabadse, Mary Robinson It is Israel Klabin, and celebrities Leonardo DiCaprio and Gisele Bündchen. Civil society organizations Amazon Environmental Research Institute (IPAM), WWF, Greenpeace, Socioenvironmental Institute (ISA), Climate Observatory and Brazilian Business Council for Sustainable Development (CEBDS) also took a stand.
During the meeting of the Brazilian Forum on Climate Change (FBMC), on Monday, June 12, the Coalition Brazil Climate, Forests and Agriculture – a movement made up of more than 150 representatives from the business sector, civil society and academia – delivered a letter requesting the veto of the MPs in hand to Temer, Sarney, the Minister of Mines and Energy, Fernando Coelho Filho, Minister Antonio Imbassahy (Government Secretariat) and Ambassador José Antônio Marcondes de Carvalho, representing Aloysio Nunes, Minister of Foreign Affairs. Erik Solheim, Executive Director of UN Environment, also received the letter from the Coalition and expressed his support for the veto request, on behalf of the Secretary-General of the United Nations.
Marcelo Furtado, facilitator of the Brazil Coalition, stated during the meeting that “deforestation is like inflation, that is, when the rate rises, it is bad news for everyone. Vetoing the provisional measures would be a positive response to a demand from society and would show how their mobilizing force is fundamental to building a sustainable development model.”
On May 30, during the Brazil Investment Forum, the Coalition also delivered its letter to the Minister of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply, Blairo Maggi, and to the Minister of Finance, Henrique Meirelles. There was a great deal of coverage in the press, through editorials, columns and numerous reports mentioning the impact of the provisional measures. The newspapers O Globo, Estadão, Folha and Valor Econômico, the magazine Época and the international publications BBC, New York Times and Financial Times are some of the media outlets that gave voice to the issue.
The veto of the measures was decided on the deadline for the Presidency and on the eve of the meeting with the Government of Norway, at a time when Brazil runs the risk of compromising the resources of the Amazon Fund, which can only be accessed through a reduction in deforestation, as stated by the Norwegian Environment Minister, in a letter to Minister Sarney. Other resources, fundamental for the construction of a low-carbon economy in Brazil, are also linked to the maintenance of protected areas in the country, such as the approximately US$$ 215 million allocated to the Amazon Protected Areas Program (ARPA).
These resources are essential for the country. A large part of Ibama's budget for inspection comes from the Amazon Fund, since the agency has lost half of its funding since 2013. scenario that should worsen with the contingency of 43% from the Ministry of the Environment's Budget and the validity of the spending cap PEC, which limits the increase in the federal budget above inflation for 20 years.
Risk of forest reduction still exists
Although the veto of the MPs prevented the reduction of forests in the Amazon and Atlantic Forest, this risk could still return in the form of a Bill (PL). In video, Minister Sarney announced that the government will send a PL to Congress, as a matter of urgency, proposing, once again, the reduction of the Jamanxim National Forest by more than 480 thousand hectares.
“The veto is a victory, but the matter has not yet been concluded and there are still risks of setbacks, as with other socio-environmental issues being processed in Congress,” said Furtado, who condemns recent proposals for changes in environmental public policies that could compromise Brazil's climate goals.
One of the Coalition's criticisms of the MPs was that the implementation of the measures in Congress had not been successful and that it would be necessary to restart the debate, with technical bases and broad participation of interested parties.
“The bill format cannot serve to legitimize an agenda that is not in the interest of civil society, the business sector and academia, as has already been expressed by so many organizations and leaders who are in favor of a sustainable and inclusive development model. We cannot accept setbacks in the country's socio-environmental policies, whether in the form of a bill or a provisional measure,” says Furtado.
Another example of socio-environmental setbacks by Congress is Bill 287/2015, currently circulating in the Senate, which threatens to extend the deadline for registration in the Rural Environmental Registry (CAR) until May 2018, weakening the Forest Code implementation agenda. This extension disrespects rural producers who signed up to the CAR within the deadline stipulated by law and benefits those who are outside the legislation.
About the Brazil Coalition
The Brazil Climate, Forests and Agriculture Coalition is a multi-sector movement that was formed with the objective of proposing actions and influencing public policies that lead to the development of a low-carbon economy, with the creation of quality jobs, the stimulation of innovation, the global competitiveness of Brazil and the generation and distribution of wealth to the entire society. More than 150 companies, business associations, research centers and civil society organizations have already joined the Brazil Coalition – coalition.com.br
