Posted on 26 April 2012
- Gland, Switzerland – Brazil’s Congress
passed legislation late last night that
strips the Amazon and other key regions
of critical environmental protections, and
grants amnesty to individuals accused of
past illegal deforestation.
WWF condemns the new Forest Code bill, driven
by retrograde sectors of Brazil’s powerful
agribusiness industry, for its failure to
account for severe social and environmental
costs. Since 2006, Brazil has demonstrated
that it can dramatically reduce its rate
of deforestation while increasing agricultural
production and reducing poverty. This bill
threatens hard-won gains for both the environment
and Brazilian society.
The bill now goes before President Dilma
Rousseff, who will have 15 days to decide
whether or not to sign it into national
law or apply veto power to the full text
or parts of it.
“President Rousseff made a promise that
she would not tolerate laws promoting new
waves of deforestation or amnesty for past
forest crimes. She knows these changes are
bad for Brazil and bad for the environment.
We ask her to uphold her promises,” said
Maria Cecilia Wey de Brito, CEO of WWF-Brazil.
The proposed amnesties would not only free
environmental criminals from prosecution,
but also forfeit an estimated US$4.8 billion
in fines.
“WWF looks to President
Rousseff to resist the short-sighted and
senseless reform to the forest law that
has been passed by the Brazilian House of
Representatives today,” said Jim Leape,
Director General of WWF International.
“In a year that will see world political,
business and civil society leaders gather
in Rio de Janeiro for the UN Summit on Sustainable
Development, it would be a shame indeed
for Brazil to surrender its position as
a global leader in forest conservation.
I urge the president to vigorously resist
the most egregious elements of the new law,
for the future of Brazil’s economy, its
natural heritage and its people,” said Leape.
WWF has highlighted
the worst impacts of the proposed forest
law reform, as well as viable alternatives
– such as smarter land-use planning and
compensating landowners for environmental
services – that would optimise forest management,
while minimising negative repercussions
on precious and fragile natural resources.
Negative elements of the proposed amendment
to the Forest Code: The draft amendment
notably complicates Brazil’s forest legislation,
making it nearly impossible to implement
and enforce.
Millions of acres illegally
cleared prior to 2008 will be legalized
through amnesty, resulting in a forfeiture
of fines worth an estimated US$4.8 billion.
In the Amazon region,
landowners could be allowed to reduce the
obligatory required forest cover from 80%
to 50%.
Up to 90% of private properties in Brazil
could be pardoned from the standing obligation
to restore illegally cleared areas.
Large areas of floodplains and other sensitive
areas will be opened to cattle ranching
and farming.
Forecasted consequences
According to Brazil’s government-led research
organization IPEA (Institute for Applied
Economic Research), the new legislation
could lead to the loss of up to 76.5 million
hectares (190 million acres) of forest,
which translates to 28 billion tonnes of
added CO2 in the atmosphere.
Brazil’s economy, and
in particular its agribusiness sector, will
suffer from damaged global reputation, decreased
access to markets for sustainably-sourced
goods, and higher production costs as a
consequence of increased erosion and greater
need for fertilizers and/or pesticides.
Brazil will likely fail
to meet its own international commitments
to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and deforestation
rates.
Alternatives to reduced environmental protections
Land-use planning for up to 61 million hectares
(150 million acres) of underproductive pastures,
which are readily available for cultivation
without additional deforestation.
Increase the efficiency of Brazil’s livestock
sector.
Introduction of a strategy
for sustainable production in Brazil’s farming
and livestock sectors.
Implementation and increase of national
and international mechanisms for compensation
to landowners for environmental services.
