Salvador Federal Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock prefaced her first trip to Latin America with an emotional greeting: “Even a whole ocean cannot separate us, because Latin America and Europe are natural partners,” she said beforehand in Brazil, her first stop.
“Without Latin America we will not be able to stop the climate crisis,” she said. And she also sent a warning along with it: “In the Amazon region, an area of rainforest equivalent to three soccer fields goes up in flames or is cut down by chainsaws every minute. This matters to all of us.”
The Green Foreign Minister’s trip from Monday to Wednesday comes at the worst possible time for Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Because the past few days have shown that Lula, who has been in power since the beginning of the year, will find it much more difficult to implement his environmental agenda than announced.
Because Congress, which has a conservative majority, will do everything possible to block the government’s planned environmental policy. And even in Lula’s left-centre coalition, there is no consensus on climate protection measures.
Fabio Alperowitch, sustainability expert and partner at the investment fund Fama Investimentos, says: “The decisions of the last few days are damaging the image of the environmentalist that the government wants to build.”
Lula wants to turn Brazil back into a nation that actively engages in climate policy. Under the predecessor Jair Bolsonaro, the country had been sharply criticized internationally for its disastrous environmental and Amazon policies.
The German minister insists on more environmental protection in the Amazon.
(Photo: dpa)
The United Nations recognize Lula’s efforts, in 2025 the 30th UN climate conference is to take place in the Brazilian Amazon city of Belém. Bolsonaro canceled the climate conference planned for 2019 in Brazil.
Congress blocks Lula’s environmental policies
But now Congress has just restricted the recognition of indigenous reservations – in favor of the agricultural and mining lobby. Farmers and raw material companies want to manage the reserves of the indigenous people. The law would make it easier for them to assert claims to areas in reservations in the future.
For policy observers at the Eurasia think tank, one thing is now clear: “Congress will be one of the biggest obstacles to Lula’s environmental agenda.”
>> Read here: Mercosur – Ministry of Economy not enough proposal for rainforest rescue
It is fitting that the MPs have just revoked the right of the Minister for Indigenous Peoples, Sônia Guajajara, to demarcate reserves, i.e. to demarcate indigenous territories.
The Congress has also taken away from Environment Minister Marina Silva control of the national water authority and the land registry for agriculture. In addition, deforestation in the Atlantic rainforest should be easier in the future.
Two-thirds of Lula’s Labor Party MPs voted in favor of the bill. This shows how difficult it is for Lula to keep his own government together on environmental issues.
Another example is the debate about test drilling by the state oil company Petrobras in the Amazon delta. The environmental agency Ibama has not given permission for the drilling. Large oil deposits are suspected in the region. Politicians in the Amazon states are hoping for tax revenue, Petrobras for new reserves.
Ex-President Jair Bolsonaro’s term in office had a devastating impact on environmental protection in Brazil.
(Photo: dpa)
President Lula is opposed to environmental protection here: He wants to make the oil company the central instrument of state industrial policy again and has instructed that the authority should be presented with further reports. His minister Marina Silva, on the other hand, supports her authority’s decision.
Environmental protection is not a top priority for Lula either
The conflict of interest is reminiscent of the one that led to discord in Lula’s previous governments and ultimately to the minister’s resignation: she left the Lula government in 2006 because the president had stuck to the construction of the Belo Monte hydroelectric power plant in the Amazon.
In hindsight, Marina Silva’s criticism turned out to be justified: the power plant still produces less electricity than forecast, causes major environmental damage and is also deeply involved in the Lula government’s corruption scandal.
Even if Lula gives the environment a higher priority than his predecessor, he shows again and again that the environment is not his top priority.
>> Read here: Economics Minister Habeck wants to tie Brazil more closely to Germany
For the former labor leader, economic growth is more important. So he now wants to start a subsidy program so that the middle class can buy their own cars – that doesn’t help either the poor in Brazil or the country’s climate balance. But Lula hopes for jobs and income in the auto industry.
The political conflicts over environmental issues are damaging Lula’s reputation, especially in Europe. There, it is closely observed how he acts in environmental policy. The EU and especially Germany have been supporting Brazil financially since Lula took office in protecting the environment and the Amazon – and they want to see results.
Baerbock urges the protection of the rainforest
The EU has just banned the import of raw materials from deforestation areas of the rainforest. Greens and environmentalists in Europe also want to build sanctions into trade agreements if environmental goals are not achieved.
Baerbock also warns that the free trade agreement with the Mercosur countries must be sustainable and protect the rainforest effectively, “with rules and incentives”. Raul do Valle, director of public policy at WWF-Brazil, warns: “We are jeopardizing the conclusion of the free trade agreement with the European Union.”
Eurasia’s policy advisers see little reason to worry. Lula is unlikely to go back on his campaign promises. The environmental agenda has been taken up as a priority in several ministries – from industry and trade, finance and planning – to the state development banks. “Lula will hardly change anything about that,” the analysts judge.
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