Brazil’s environment ministry says government released funds to fight deforestation

Brazil’s Environment Ministry anunced that country’s government has released funds required for fighting deforestation in Amazon. ministry, while making anuncement, reportedly also ded that enforcement and implementation operations will continue as rmal. This development comes after ministry’s earlier anuncement of suspending all operations to combat deforestation as funding for those operations h been blocked.

As per reports, Brazil's Vice President Hamilton Mourão quickly refuted ministry’s statement of halting operations to combat deforestation, reportedly saying that’s t going to happen, and ding that efforts would continue. Mourão, who was put in charge of country’s Amazon response by Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, also denied claims of funds being blocked. He also reportedly accused Brazilian Environment Minister Ricardo Salles of acting too soon on matter.

Mourão reportedly said that environment minister jumped gun and re will t be a block of 60 million reais ($11.1 million) dedicated to Ibama and ICMBio. He also ded that environment ministry’s anuncement was based on incomplete and unfinalized planning document. In an effort to help people of Brazil, Vice President also stated that Brazil government is looking to take money out of almost every ministry in order to fund emergency aid payments which Brazilians are receiving during ecomic downturn due to ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

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Environment ministry plays an important role

environment ministry plays an important role in combating deforestation with teams frequently deployed on risky missions to catch illegal loggers and miners in world’s largest rainforest. original anuncement by ministry me on August 28 came amid rising deforestation and growing criticism of Brazil’s environmental policy from environmental groups and international investors.

ministry cited a decision by Brazil’s Federal Budget Secretariat (SOF) in order to block certain funds that h been given to Environment Ministry’s enforcement arm Ibama and parks service ICMBio. ministry, in its anuncement, also stated that SOF’s decision was ordered by office of chief of staff for Brazilian President.

As per reports, many investors have threatened to pull out of country if government does t better protect Amazon, where preliminary government data states that deforestation has grown nearly 35 per cent over 12 months through July.  Amazon region has been witnessing raging fires. According to data published by Monitoring of Andean Amazon Project (MAAP), 516 fires covering 376,416 hectares have been detected between May 28 and August 25. Apart from Amazon, fires are also widespre in Pantanal, South America’s largest wetland. 

(Im credit: AP)

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