President Jair Bolsonaro’s recommitment towards climate change is essential: US

#Amazon #Brazil #ClimateChange

Brazil on Friday made a move to end illegal deforestation and urged immediate action to protect the Amazon
President Jair Bolsonaro wrote a letter to Joe Biden ahead of US-led climate summit
The decision by the Brazilian president was welcomed by the United States

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Updated: April 16 2021 03:38:33 PM ET Washington, D.C., DC, USA

Brazil on Friday made a move to end illegal deforestation and urged immediate action to protect the Amazon. The decision was welcomed by the United States and comes as a big move in the fight against climate crisis.

President Jair Bolsonaro, a far-right leader and a longtime affliction for climate activists, wrote a letter to the US President Joe Biden ahead of US-led climate summit, which will take place next week. He came up to ask support for stopping illegal deforestation by 2030.

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US climate envoy John Kerry wrote on Twitter, “President @jairbolsonaro’s recommitment to eliminating illegal deforestation is important.”

President @jairbolsonaro’s recommitment to eliminating illegal deforestation is important. We look forward to immediate actions and engagement with indigenous populations and civil society so this announcement can deliver tangible results.

— Special Presidential Envoy John Kerry (@ClimateEnvoy) April 16, 2021

The Brazilian President, who was one of former US president Donald Trump’s closest international allies, said that his efforts on deforestation showed indisputable supports for Biden’s efforts in fight against climate change. He also asked for international support to help his country meet the goal.

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One of Amazon’s indigenous leader and most prominent defender of the rainforest Raoni Metuktire said that Brazil president’s video promising to Biden warning about encroachment of loggers was a lie. “In fact, the president of this country has told many lies,” Metuktire added.

The US President, in his campaign, called for $20 billion in funding to stop Brazil from cutting down the forest. In his promise, Biden also said that if Brazil didn’t comply, there will be a risk of economic consequences.

Bolsonaro at the time denounced the threats by candidate Biden. Brazil had committed under the 2015 Paris accord to end illegal deforestation by 2030 but the goal was under a cloud due to the election of Bolsonaro.

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The Amazon and other rainforests are crucial in the battle against climate change as they serve as giant sinks of carbon in the atmosphere. Till August 2020, deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon increased 9.5%, destroying an area bigger than Jamaica, according to government data.