You'll no doubt be pleased to hear that deforestation rates in the Amazon have fallen, according to figures from the government of Brazil. The National Institute for Space Research reported yesterday that just 6,451km2 of rainforest were felled between August 2009 and July 2010, a drop of 14 per cent on the previous year.
Paulo Adario and others
from our Brazilian office were present and activists protested against a yes vote. There was also plenty
of criticism from other concerned parties - environmentalists, rural
organisations and legal representatives, for instance - but still the vote
passed.
The amended forest code still has
to pass several more hurdles before it reaches the statute books, but with each
yes vote it becomes more and more likely it will do so. Eventually, it will
have to go to the president who can sign it into law or kick it out. Hopefully
it won't get that far, but we'll let you know how you can help if and when the
time comes.
Posted by jamie — 5 July 2010 at 12:17pm
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In Brazil, moves are afoot to amend a piece of legislation which has been protecting the Amazon rainforest for over 70 years, and not for the better. If the changes are voted through, it could mean that the area of the Amazon which can be legally destroyed will double, and it's the backers of these changes - the agriculture, biofuels and energy barons - who stand to benefit as they argue that pesky forest laws are a hindrance to economic development.
Posted by Willie — 12 November 2009 at 2:46pm
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So, here in Brazil, the game is on. At the end of yesterday’s session the parties around the table at the ICCAT meeting were asked what their priorities were for conserving bluefin tuna. One by one they made positive murmurings about wanting to 'follow the scientific recommendations', and enforce compliance with them. They all pretty much said they want to see illegal fishing tackled. No rocket science there, and you would be forgiven for wondering why they have not done those things already!
At a signing ceremony in Sao Paulo today, four of the world's largest beef and
leather companies (1) agreed to ban the purchase of cattle from newly deforested
land in the Amazon (2). The four - Marfrig, Bertin, JBS-Friboi and Minerva -
dominate the world export market and supply the UK.
One of the world's largest leather suppliers, and Brazil's second-largest beef
exporter today backed Greenpeace's call for a moratorium on the purchase of
cattle from farms involved in new deforestation in the Amazon with immediate
effect. (1).
Bertin's announcement follows tough new policy statements
from shoe retailers such as Clarks, Nike, Timberland, Geox and Adidas, in
response to a Greenpeace report entitled Slaughtering the Amazon, which was
released in June.