By Lisandra Paraguassu
BRASILIA (Reuters) – U.S. Special Envoy for Climate John Kerry did not announce a figure for U.S. donations to fight deforestation in Brazil after a first meeting with Brazilian government representatives, but a plan to action should be announced on Tuesday, said the Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Marina Silva.
The minister’s team has already confirmed that there should be a press conference on Tuesday afternoon, after a working meeting with Kerry and the delegations of both countries.
′′ Who will announce the value is the Biden government in the opportune time for them. They depend on Congress, nothing will be done that disregards the dynamics of each country,” Marina told reporters after the meeting.
“Brazil works so that we can have, as quickly as possible, the contributions that are being made by the different governments, as already signaled, for example, by Germany. But each country has its time and its internal dynamics.”
The Minister of Agriculture, Carlos Fávaro, reported having spoken with Kerry about technical cooperation and investment in research for sustainable production, which, defends Fávaro, could come from the Amazon Fund.
“We talk a lot about cooperation, research. They have the world’s largest temperate climate research company and tropical climate nodes. If we unite, we can together, through Embrapa, find innovative solutions. Brazil is an example of no-till planting, nitrogenous dispensing, an innovation that the US does not have”, said the Minister of Agriculture.
“We are going to promote technical cooperation, investment partnership, in the Amazon Fund. He made it very clear how difficult it is for the government to approve funds for the Amazon Fund in the US Congress, but they will do it. We suggest that the Amazon Fund invest in research,” added Fávaro.
Earlier, upon leaving the meeting with Kerry, vice president Geraldo Alckmin clarified that the US special envoy had not spoken of values, but that he had guaranteed that he would work together with his government, Congress and private companies in the North -American companies to guarantee “large resources” in contributions, whether for the Amazon Fund or for other options negotiated with the Brazilian government.
Alckmin, who is also Minister of Development, Industry, Commerce and Services, spoke briefly with journalists at the Itamaraty after meeting with Kerry, which was also attended by, among others, Marina and the president of the National Bank for Economic and Social Development ( BNDES), Aloizio Mercadante.
At the beginning of the month, when President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva met with US President Joe Biden in Washington, an initial donation of US$50 million to the Amazon Fund was discussed. The amount, however, was not officially announced because the assessment was that the amount — the maximum amount that the US government could donate by executive act, without passing through Congress — would be low compared to other donations. According to a source, the announcement has been postponed so that the US can negotiate a higher number.
According to Marina, the two governments are drawing up a work plan on issues such as climate change, deforestation, low-carbon economy and other topics, and on Tuesday a joint announcement of cooperation should be made.
“We are going to revisit the framework agreement that was made by Brazil and the US in 2015. This framework agreement has several themes that need to be updated in light of the interests of President Lula’s government and the Biden government. It has to do with protecting the forest, climate, tackling inequalities, strengthening democracies, but betting on the energy transition, facing the major issues on the global environmental agenda, including issues that have to do with this cooperation in terms of trade,” he said. .
This morning’s meeting, according to Alckmin, dealt with the fight against climate change, deforestation, energy transition, in addition to the possibility of partnership in several areas. Kerry should also meet with the Minister of Agriculture, Carlos Fávaro.
So far, the Brazilian government has signaled donations from France, Spain and the United Kingdom to the Amazon Fund. During the World Economic Forum, in Davos, in meetings with actor Leonardo di Caprio and investor Jeff Bezos, Marina also heard that both would raise 100 million dollars each, through their foundations, to invest in the Fund.
Initiated by Germany and Norway to support the country’s forest protection and sustainable development projects, the Fund has so far received donations of US$1.3 billion.
LOGGING
The Minister of the Environment was asked about the increase in deforestation in February, which in two weeks broke the record for the entire month since 2015, when the historical series began.
According to Marina, there is a “kind of revenge” against the actions that are being taken by the government in the region.
“Right now we are identifying that there is criminal action even in the rainy season, advancing deforestation. We are preparing to face this confrontation”, said the minister, noting that she took the ministry as “scorched earth”.
“We are still two months into the government, the deforestation prevention and control plan will be updated and reimplemented from April, when we will conclude the plan. But even so, we are taking emergency action on several fronts, on the Yanomami front, on the front of deforestation and other crimes that happen throughout Brazil, ”he said.
(Reporting by Lisandra Paraguassu)
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