<
https://theconversation.com/lulas-victory-in-brazil-comes-just-in-time-to-save-the-amazon-can-he-do-it-193618>
"Brazil’s presidential election result is crucial for the future of the world’s
forests. On Sunday, former president and Workers Party candidate Lula da Silva
narrowly beat the incumbent, Jair Bolsonaro. Deforestation rates had surged
under Bolsonaro.
Bolsonaro was elected in 2018 on an explicitly anti-environmental platform. He
had promised to reduce environmental oversight, halt Indigenous land
demarcations and allow the extraction of resources from protected areas in the
Amazon. Lula’s victory speech signalled a strong commitment to preserving the
Amazon, protecting Indigenous people’s rights and reaching a zero-deforestation
target.
During Bolsonaro’s first three years in office, 33,200 square kilometres of
forest was cleared. That’s an area two-and-a-half times the size of the Greater
Sydney region.
Some researchers argue that the Amazon might be nearing its tipping point if
current clearing rates continue. That would mean the rainforest loses
resilience to changes in climate and land use. It would have profound effects
on biodiversity, carbon storage and climate change globally.
Lula’s victory speech marks a clear departure from Bolsonaro’s rhetoric. It’s a
welcome shift in the lead-up to the United Nations climate conference, COP27,
which starts in Egypt on Sunday. But Lula still faces stiff challenges in
delivering his promise to protect the rainforest."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
