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Judi Lynn

(160,211 posts)
Tue Feb 5, 2019, 03:45 AM Feb 2019

New appointments, new policies don't bode well for Brazilian Amazon


by Jenny Gonzales on 4 February 2019


  • Jair Bolsonaro took office on 1 January. Since then, he has made appointments to his government, and there have been statements by people in his administration, that are causing grave concern among environmentalists.

  • New Environment Minister Ricardo Salles has come out strongly for an end to the demarcation of indigenous lands, and in support of entrepreneurs and companies being allowed to self-regulate the environmental licensing process for major infrastructure and development projects.

  • Salles also wants to hire a satellite firm to monitor Brazil’s forest fires, drought and deforestation. Brazil’s National Space Research Institute (INPE), a governmental agency, released a response explaining that it is already doing this work. While Salles plan isn’t clear, it could be a means of privatizing deforestation monitoring.

  • Franklimberg Ribeiro de Freitas has been chosen to head Funai, Brazil’s indigenous affairs agency. However, some fear a major conflict of interest. Freitas was most recently a consulting advisor for indigenous, community, and environmental affairs with the Belo Sun mining company, where he sided against indigenous land rights.


  • More:
    https://news.mongabay.com/2019/02/new-appointments-new-policies-dont-bode-well-for-brazilian-amazon/

    Environment and energy:
    https://www.democraticunderground.com/1127123237
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