BRASILIA – Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva on Monday unveiled a plan to end illegal logging in the Amazon, a key campaign promise that marks a crucial step in addressing the country’s significant carbon emissions from the region.
This strategy, to be implemented over a four-year period, provides a roadmap to meet the ambitious goal of ending illegal logging by 2030. Lula’s term ends on January 1, 2027, so full implementation would depend on the willingness of those coming after him to carry on the work.
On Monday, Lula’s government also pledged to achieve net-zero deforestation, i.e.
According to Climate Watch, an online platform managed by the World Resources Institute, Brazil is the fifth largest emitter of greenhouse gases, accounting for almost 3% of global emissions. Almost half of Brazil’s CO2 emissions come from deforestation.
Lula announced that his government would align Brazil’s international commitments to reduce emissions, known as Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), back to what was promised under the Paris Agreement in 2015. Brazil committed to reducing carbon emissions by 37% by 2025 and by 43% by 2030. Lula’s predecessor, far-right President Jair Bolsonaro, had scaled back the commitments.
As part of the announcement, Lula added 1,800 hectares (4,400 acres) to a wildlife sanctuary in the Amazon, which frustrated environmentalists. His government has pledged to prioritize 57,000,000 hectares of public land without special protection, an area roughly the size of France.
In a speech, Environment Minister Marina Silva said the federal government would create more nature reserves pending further studies and agreements with the state governments.
These areas are increasingly vulnerable to deforestation as land invaders displace traditional communities and clear the land in hopes of gaining government recognition as property.
“Brazil will once again become a global reference in terms of sustainability, fighting climate change and achieving the goals of reducing carbon emissions and avoiding deforestation,” said Lula.
During the event there was a tribute to British journalist Dom Phillips and indigenous affairs specialist Bruno Pereira, who were killed during a trip in the Amazon a year ago. Several people were arrested.
The new measures mark the fifth phase of a major initiative called the Action Plan to Prevent and Control Deforestation in the Legal Amazon. Launched 20 years ago during Lula’s first term, the plan was instrumental in reducing deforestation by 83% between 2004 and 2012. The plan was suspended during Bolsonaro’s tenure.
One of the main goals is to boost the so-called bioeconomy, such as controlled fishing for pirarucu, the Amazon’s largest fish, and acai production as an alternative to ranching, which is responsible for most of the deforestation. The action plan also sets out measures to improve surveillance and law enforcement and commits to creating new nature reserves.
These measures are also in response to recent restrictions imposed by Congress on Environment Minister Silva, particularly under the influence of the so-called Beef Caucus, which represents the interests of agribusiness.
Lula vetoed legislation passed by Congress that would allow logging of remaining areas of the Atlantic Forest, a coastal forest that has suffered significant destruction.
“The agribusiness group is a well-organized political group representing interests in Congress, with many lawmakers attached,” Creomar de Souza, political analyst and CEO of consulting firm Dharma Politics, told The Associated Press. “And that makes room for what happened last week: the ability of this group in Congress to shape and enforce its agenda.”
According to Suely Araújo, a senior policy adviser at the Climate Observatory, the action plan is vital to rebuilding Brazil’s environmental governance. Notable aspects of the plan, she says, include the integration of data and systems for remote monitoring and accountability, aligning infrastructure projects with deforestation reduction goals, and a rural credit policy tied to achieving zero deforestation.
However, it is still unclear how compensation for legal logging will be provided, including the instruments and extent of private sector responsibility.
“It will also be necessary to fight against the serious setbacks that are looming on the Congress agenda,” Araújo said. “There will not be zero deforestation if it authorizes destructive measures.”
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