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Nacho Doce / Reuters
An elderly woman rests next to her grandchild in a hammock inside their house in the village of Pimental in Itaituba, in the state of Para, on May 26. In the 19 months since Brazil's President Dilma Rousseff took office, longstanding rules that curtail deforestation and protect millions of square kilometers of watershed have been rolled back. She issued an executive order to shrink or repurpose seven protected woodlands, making way for hydroelectric dams and other infrastructure projects, and to legalize settlements by farmers and miners. These photos were received by NBCNews.com on Aug. 3 as part of a Reuters special report.
Nacho Doce / Reuters
An aerial view shows illegal deforestation close to the Amazonia National Park in Itaituba, state of Para, on May 25.
Below is an excerpt from a Reuters special report: Brazil backslides on protecting the Amazon
Reuters -- Last year President Dilma Rousseff authorized a change that ceded much responsibility for environmental oversight to local officials. Of 168 Ibama, Brazil's widely respected federal environmental agency, field offices operating a few years ago, 91 have been shuttered, according to Ibama employees. Ivo Lubrinna says Ibama agents used to fine him and other miners for violations. Now, he leads a team that inspects wildcatting sites. So far, he says, he has levied few fines.
The shift to local control is one of many changes implemented under Rousseff's administration that, taken together, constitute an all-out retreat from nearly two decades of progressive federal environmental policy.
In the 19 months since Rousseff took office, longstanding rules that curtail deforestation and protect millions of square kilometers of watershed have been rolled back. She issued an executive order to shrink or repurpose seven protected woodlands, making way for hydroelectric dams and other infrastructure projects, and to legalize settlements by farmers and miners.
And she has slowed to a near halt a process, uninterrupted during the previous three administrations, of setting aside land for national parks, wildlife reserves and other "conservation units."
Related links:
- 60 dams in Brazil's Amazon? Controversy spills over into 'Earth Summit II'
- 20 years later, will world make good on 'broken promises'?
- Slideshow: Dams rising across Brazil's Amazon
- Slideshow: Brazil's balancing act
Nacho Doce / Reuters
A boy walks on the Trans-Amazonian highway in Itaituba, in the state of Para, on May 24.
Mario Tama / Getty Images
The Belo Monte dam is among 60 Brazil plans to build in its Amazon region to help power its growing economy. But the vision also has its critics.
Leave a Comment:
I live in Brazil and this article embarasses me. I hope that as the world shines it´s spotlight
on Brazil because of the world cup and olympics, that the media scrutiny provokes some improvements in our behaviour. It seems the Brazilian govt thinks more about what other countries think of Brazil than what Brazilians think of Brazil.
What a shame. It's not even a Brazilian issue-- the Amazon provides oxygen for the entire world, removes green house gasses and helps cool the planet. This is a global concern, and I hope the world reacts to this dunderheaded decision.
Wow, Brazil has what most countries do not have, beautiful rainforests. If you do not appreciate what you have, you'll lose it all.
I hope they wake up.
It is nit the "They" that needs to wake up, It is the USA and the powers behind them that are causing this to happen. If you look into other economy's, it is happening elsewhere too. Start reading and watching the news and TV from other countries, and see the USA from another perspective. Follow the trend, and more importantly, follow the money. Right now the money seems to be going out of the USA, but all the business that has ROOTS is in the USA and the money is going to those companies, albeit off shore, but ...
Follow the money.
Brazil is not alone in this backsliding in environmental issues. Canada, the US, Japan and others are also undoing or relaxing legislation and oversight. Big corporate lobbies are more valued. Pity.
Hmm... seems President Dilma Rousseff has been taking lessons from our Republican party, whereby it's thier mantra too, whereby you screw the environment, do whatever is necessary for short-term goals, and as long as she's re-elected or her fellow-cronies are making money, she's happy.
Perhaps Romney should ask her to be his running mate, as she certainly seems to support his parties philosophies and viewpoints :P
NoSalvation4$, your point would have had more validity if you had used the word "democracy" instead of " Republican party" However, it must be said that the United States and Brazil only give the appearance of democracy, both having sold their souls to the special interest lobbies.
This is a global issue. If the Brazillians cannot protect this area critical to all air breathing life on the planet then appropriate action must be taken. This is a bigger long term threat to America than Iraq was or Iran ever will be.
My understanding on the matter is that the USA is an oppressive force to be reckoned with.
The US has been cohering with the Brazilian Government in the economic arena, and this is just the tip of the iceberg. There has been such a vast American presence overwhelming the TV commercial airwaves lately (in the last 2 years) and It's more and more American products. Big business is driving the trend, and the need for more paper to print the leaflets on is causing a demand for trees to be cut. It really is a catch 22.
But the bully behind the economics is the USA. And there are others that are behind them like the FED banks, and others behind the banks (think Freemasons, and other words that start with the letter "I").
There is nothing terrible about this, nor sinister, it is just a ploy to get the human population below 500,000,000. So what if a hundred thousand species goes extinct to do it, but in the end, we can blame mother nature, not man dropping the atomic bomb.
See you all in the after life I suppose... I hope it is better there than what the schmuck's are making living it here always needing to look over your shoulder.
Figures, money always seems to trump the need for a clean world to live in. This will release probably a dozen new viruses of which at least one will make ebola look like a vacation.
One acre of forest absorb six tons of carbon dioxide and puts four tons of oxygen in the air we breath.The Amazon rain forest produces 20% of oxygen of the world. We must protect the Amazon rain forest for our own survival and the survival and of the next generations if they still exist. It seems to be the indigenous people are the only ones guarding the treasure of life of the world, while the Latin America countries put blind eyes to the massive destruction of the Amazon rain forest, in the name of progress and profit.
Greed knows no bounds. The interest behind this incursion are simply the same corporations that have effectively taken over the rest of the world. Their influence is immense.
Enough so to even change the Brazilian governments long standing desire to expand reserves and protect the forest.
They must have been offered some wonderful incentives... At what cost to the future of south Americans and mankind in general is easily decipherable.
These old growth rain forest have been around for many millions of years. In that time. they have established the most diverse ecology of life this planet has had in its billions of years of existence.
Its a shame humanity would blindly throw this away for short term monetary gain. When it's obvious that the same system that promotes this is also the same system that promotes high interest loans, debt procurement and corporate interest that lobby governments to effectively take control of congressional powers.
this is holding humanity back from becoming something greater, then what we are becoming.
This being the 21st century. We should have reached a level of enlightenment and educated greatness that things like whether or not cutting down an irreplaceable forest is the responsible thing to do should be a no brainer.
But instead we live in a world where ultra wealthy corporate interest lobby and manipulate government powers to pass laws in which benefit said corporation to increase their bottom line no matter the cost to life, resources and nature.
What is required is that humanity hits them where it hurts. The most powerful tool we posses against them is one of two things. We either destroy this system of debt accumulation and create one that is based on actual natural wealth and the betterment of mankind and not corporate powers.
Or we send the message every day with your pocket books that you will not agree to, nor except buying products that negatively effect the advancement of humanity and this planet.
BRAZIL IS A GREAT COUNTRY ! ! !
.
My name is Burt Conway, Im 48 years old and the director of Marketing for a company here in Milwaukee. I LOVE BRAZIL ! ! !
I go there every month for 1 day of work, and 3 days of debotchery with teenage girls. Fortunately for me, my 55 year old, 376 pound
hefferwife does not like to travel. Instead, she likes to attend Eating Festivals. In fact, next week while she is at the SHEBOYGAN TROTH EATING FESTIVAL.........I'll be in a THREESOME with Sofia & Giovanna.
LIFE IS GOOD..... LIFE IS GOOD....... LIFE IS GOOD....... LIFE IS GOOD.....