Brasilia (EFE).- The Brazilian president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, announced a vast package of measures to protect the environment and combat climate change, which includes strong sanctions against illegal deforestation.
The announcement was made within the framework of International Environment Day and, among other issues, establishes the possibility of 50% of the land that has been illegally deforested being seized, beyond the limits established by law.
Likewise, among the measures announced, the creation of new environmental protection areas is determined, which will cover a total of 30,000 square kilometers, an area equivalent to that of Belgium.
The rest of the measures reinforce the bureaucratic structures of the inspection bodies of the Amazon and other biomes. That they had been virtually dismantled between 2019 and 2022 by the government of then-President Jair Bolsonaro, leader of the extreme right.
Lula and his fight against climate change
When making the announcement, Lula anticipated that, within the framework of the summit of presidents of Amazonian countries that he has convened for next August, he will propose the creation of an international cooperation center for the protection of the largest plant lung on the planet, in order to effectively combat all the mafias operating in the region.
“We must put an end to the groups that traffic in timber, fishing, and minerals, which are also accomplices of drug and even human trafficking networks” that operate in the Amazon, he emphasized.
He also stressed that “there is no contradiction between economic development and care for the environment.” Especially in a country like Brazil, which “has 30 million degraded hectares that can be recovered and produce a lot again.”
As always when referring to the climate crisis, Lula also sent a message to the most developed countries, of which he said that they must “do their part.” Because throughout history they are “the ones that have most devastated the jungles and the ones that emit the most polluting gases.”
Commitment to the environment
In this context, he recalled that in 2009, within the framework of the UN, the richest countries pledged to financially support less developed nations in preserving the environment.
“It was never fulfilled,” declared Lula, who criticized that “rich countries sometimes promise what they do not want or cannot give,” but at the same time allocate “millions of dollars” to “wars that end people’s lives.” And they also affect the environment.
“For this reason, promoting peace is also taking care of the planet,” he said.
Likewise, he renewed his Government’s commitment to advance in the development of renewable energy. According to him, they already represent 85% of the country’s energy matrix.
The act included a tribute to the British journalist Dom Phillips and the indigenista Bruno Araújo. Murdered just a year ago in the Amazon, where they were investigating threats by mafias that operate in that region against indigenous peoples.
“Bruno and Dom deserved to be here today. The best way to honor them is to prove that their struggle was not in vain,” Lula declared.