WWF - WWF Brazil office

WWF tool measures cumulative impact of hydropower, mining projects in Amazon

2013-05-16

Brasilia — WWF is calling for a widely shared, common vision for Amazonian river basins that are the site of large-scale mining and hydropower projects.

"There should be a qualified debate in the national sphere regarding what kind of Amazon we wish to preserve in the future. That means defining which rivers are to be preserved before the accumulated effects of the innumerable hydroelectric and mining projects – which so far have always been analysed individually – create environmental impacts that could be really disastrous," said Pedro Bara, leader of WWF's Living Amazon Initiative infrastructure strategy.

Bara presented WWF's ecological vision for the Tapajos river basin at an event in Foz de Iguaçu organised by Sustainable Planet and Editora Abril publishers on the theme of Business, Energy and Environment.

The vision is based on an analytical tool known as the Hydrological Information System and Amazon River Assessment (HIS-ARA). The tool integrates hydrological and ecological information to support development of regional ecosystem conservation strategies.

Bara said the overall objective is to mitigate conflicts and boost opportunities generated by projects that are decided on in a participatory and transparent manner, and are capable of contributing to a sustainable and prosperous future for the Tapajos basin.

Cumulative Impacts
HIS-ARA makes it feasible to identify critical areas for biodiversity and for the maintenance of connectivity among the rivers to ensure the integrity of the hydrological networks and the aquatic ecosystems. The same tool takes into consideration the functioning of the ecological systems and all the social and cultural territories in the entire river basin area.

In the specific case of the Tapajos River basin, which occupies 6 per cent of Brazilian territory and is highly relevant in scenic, cultural, ecological and hydropower terms, 42 hydroelectric plants of varying dimensions are planned. The so-called Tapajos Complex alone will consist of seven plants, two of which, the Sao Luiz and Jatoba dams, will be mega-installations. The damming of two more free-flowing rivers in the Amazon, the Tapajos River and the Jamanxim River, will flood an estimated 2,500 km2 of land and fragment ecologically, culturally and socially important ecosystems. Among the major social impacts, it will affect the Munduruku indigenous lands, home to more than 10,000 people.

"The application of science in the form of tools like HIS-ARA can support decision making and streamline the crucial dialogues associated with large-scale infrastructure projects," said WWF-Brazil CEO Maria Cecilia Wey de Brito.

For further information:
Denise Oliveira, Head of Communications, Living Amazon Initiative
doliveira@wwf.org.br / +55 61 3364.7497 or +55 61 8175.2695

Pedro Bara, Infrastructure Strategy leader, Living Amazon Initiative
pedrobara@wwf.org.br / +55 11 3074-4765

About Living Amazon Initiative
The Living Amazon Initiative spearheads WWF's efforts to guarantee an ecologically healthy Amazon Biome that maintains its environmental and cultural contribution to local peoples, the countries of the region and the world, by maintaining ecological processes and services within a framework of that propitiates inclusive economic development with social equity and global responsibility.

About WWF
WWF is one of the world's largest and most respected independent conservation organizations, with over 5 million supporters and a global network active in over 100 countries. WWF's mission is to stop the degradation of the Earth's natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature, by conserving the world's biological diversity, ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable, and promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumption.

Keeping an eye on deforestation

2013-05-06

The Brazilian Amazon Fund will be providing 23 million Brazilian reals to the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organisation (ACTO) to support a project for monitoring deforestation in other countries of the Amazon region. The decision, announced on Friday, 3 May, inaugurates the Amazon Fund's support for other countries with tropical forests.

The Amazon Fund is a tool to promote reduction of deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon, defined under leadership of the Ministry of Environment. It is funded mostly by Norwegian resources, with contributions also from Germany and other countries, and is managed by Brazil's National Social and Economic Development Bank (Banco Nacional de Desenvolvimento Econômico e Social - BNDES). Part of the fund can be used to collaborate on forest monitoring outside the Brazilian Amazon.

The ACTO Amazon Region Forest Cover Monitoring Project has the support of the Brazilian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Environment. The National Space Research Institute (Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais - INPE) will also participate in the project providing training and forest cover monitoring technology.

The 60-month project will support all the ACTO member countries except Brazil - Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, Suriname and Venezuela - with initiatives for structuring and implementing observation rooms, providing access to forest cover monitoring technology, elaborating national monitoring plans and improving, harmonizing and standardizing their institutional capability to conduct surveillance of land use changes.

Brazil's interest and possible support for developing deforestation and land use change monitoring capacity in other Amazon countries had already been announced by Environment Minister Izabella Teixeira at the Rio+20 Conference in 2012, and on other recent public events. The environment minister has also emphasized the willingness to collaborate further with other conservation and sustainable development actions, including in protected areas.

With this latest approval, the Amazon Fund now has a portfolio of 37 projects receiving support to the amount of 462.8 million Brazilian reals in the bid to curb deforestation and stimulate sustainable development in the Amazon, including support to ARPA – the Brazilian Amazon Region Protected Areas Programme. ARPA counts now also with a new initiative called ARPA for Life, co-led by WWF, to raise more funds for one of the most successful in situ conservation projects in the world.

Lessons learned

In the last 10 years, Brazilian deforestation rates have been falling due to the multi-institutional and higher level engagement of the national government in areas such as land use planning - mostly creation and strengthening of protected areas - control and patrolling, and promotion of sustainable economic activities.

Nevertheless, the deforestation pattern in Brazil seems to keep evolving toward greater dispersion and smaller areas, requiring improvements of monitoring technology. But, the future is uncertain, because the policies have not been embedded in mainstream government policies in sectors such as hydropower, finance, mining, forest economy, transportation, and agriculture and ranching. Moreover, other countries still need to benefit from a consistent program to understand and monitor deforestation in their portions of the Amazon.

Unfortunately, the tendency of deforestation rates in other Amazon countries is of growth. It seems that in the Andean-Amazon countries there are tendencies of demographic and economic movement from the Andes mountains toward the lowlands of the Amazon. Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia have been facing an increase in deforestation due to different social and economic drivers, the dynamics of which are still not completely clear.

In the case of Colombia and Ecuador, the major drivers of deforestation are probably the increase in cattle ranching and plantations, even though they are on a smaller scale individually. Small and larger scale ranching and farming seem also to be crucial elements in Bolivia. Gold and other mining, as well as transportation, and energy (oil and dams), seem to be behind the deforestation tendencies in Peruvian and Ecuadorean Amazon. The trends in Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana, although relatively small, also seem to be increasing.

"Deforestation tendencies of the Andean Amazon countries together indicate that deforestation is probably increasing, due to demographic and economic movements toward their Amazon areas. There is a need to increase cooperation between Brazil and other Amazon countries in order to exchange technology, experiences and lessons learned," explained Claudio Maretti, WWF Living Amazon Initiative.

"The support Brazil gives to ACTO and other countries is a good beginning. We should understand that monitoring is the first stage, but with that we have to promote awareness and support policy and markets decisions. Those fronts need to continue, and in some cases be strengthened in Brazil, and clearly need to be established or strengthened in the other Amazon countries," concluded Maretti.

(With information from the Banco Nacional de Desenvolvimento Econômico e Social – BNDES)

House reforms to Brazil's forest code open loopholes for continued deforestation

2012-09-20

contributed by Aldem Bourscheit / WWF-Brazil

The alterations to the Interim Presidential Edict on the Brazilian Forest Law approved Tuesday by the Brazilian House of Representatives would render the legislation impossible to enforce, according the analysis by WWF-Brazil.

The new text may go before the Senate for voting as early as next Tuesday, 25 September.

WWF-Brazil's expert on public policies, Kenzo Jucá Ferreira, says the best thing that could happen for Brazilian forests and biodiversity is that altered Interim Edict is allowed to expire on the 8 October deadline without a Senate vote.

"If it were voted and approved in the Senate, that would effectively licence a piece of legislation that has been totally disfigured, that cannot possibly be applied in practise and that contains within it a whole set of unconstitutionalities," Ferreira said.

In spite of President Dilma's expressed dissatisfaction with the political agreement that altered the text, the representatives approved without reservations the report of the Mixed Parliamentary Committee that examined the legislation. The committee was largely made up of "Ruralistas" (parliamentary representatives of big landholding and agribusiness interests).

"The text approved yesterday by the representatives opens up even greater margins for deforestation than the text the government published in May," said Ferreira.

According to the newly approved text, the area of vegetation to be restored along riverbanks, other bodies of water and areas considered Areas of Permanent Protection will be reduced even further for large rural properties than originally foreseen.

In big properties, or in the case of wide rivers, the minimum requirement for the protected vegetation strips has been reduced from 30 to 20 metres. Another concession is that replanting and recuperation of vegetation can now be done using commercial fruit trees in both Areas of Permanent Protection and in Legal Reserve areas of natural vegetation.

In Ferreira's analysis, this flexibility in the obligation to carry out reforestation in areas that were illegally deforested will now be equally valid for the big rural agribusiness producers, and it will open up new legal loopholes for carrying on with deforestation.

"The House entirely ignored the efforts made by President Dilma to include benefits focused only on subsistence farmers and smallholders," he said.

WWF Rio+20 closing statement

2012-06-21

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (21 June 2012) - With negotiations at an end, WWF Director General Jim Leape today issued the following closing statement about the Rio+20 summit:

"This was a conference about life: about future generations; about the forests, oceans, rivers and lakes that we all depend on for our food, water and energy. It was a conference to address the pressing challenge of building a future that can sustain us.

"Unfortunately, the world leaders who gathered here lost sight of that urgent purpose.

"With too few countries prepared to press for action, Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff chose to drive a process with no serious content – to the planet's detriment.

"The result is a squandered opportunity - an agreement that does not set the world on a path toward sustainable development.

"The urgency to act, however, has not changed. And the good news is that sustainable development is a plant that has taken root; it will grow regardless of weak political leadership here. We did see leaders stepping up in Rio, it was just not in the negotiations.

"There is exciting leadership happening in communities, cities, governments and companies that are laying the foundation to protect our environment, alleviate poverty, and move us toward a more sustainable planet."  

"In the end, we need action everywhere—from individuals, villages, cities, countries, small and large companies, and civil society organizations and movements. We need to all take the responsibility  world leaders failed to act on in Rio.  

"We must all redouble our efforts and hope that in time they help to open up the political space for a multilateral process like Rio+20 to deliver.  

Some of the big commitments made outside the negotiating room in Rio included:  

Governments, banks, investors and CEOs back calls for valuing and accounting for natural capital. -nine banks, investors and insurers insurers (incl Caixa Economica Federal, Caisse des Depots, China Merchants Bank, Natural Australia Bank, Standard Chartered + 50 countries Botswana, South Africa, UK + corps Unilever, Puma, Dow Chemical) made a collective call for natural capital valuation and accounting at Rio+20 with the Natural Capital Declaration.  
Mozambique - President Armando Guebuza of Mozambique announced the launch of Mozambique's Roadmap to a Green Economy. The plan covers national strategies to apply green economy principles to the development of cities, agriculture, and energy sources, and to invest in maintaining and enhancing their natural capital, including a fully representative terrestrial and marine multi-use protected area network. The plan will be developed and implemented in collaboration with key partners around the world, such as the host government of the conference, Brazil.  ·
The Maldives announced world's biggest marine reserve. The Maldives has used the Rio+20 UN Conference on Sustainable Development in Brazil to announce that all 1,192 of its islands will become a marine reserve by 2017.  
The UK government announced that the UK will be the first country in the world to force major companies to measure their carbon footprint. The scheme will make more than 1,000 companies measure their greenhouse gas emissions in full.  
Indonesia's president made broad commitments to achieve a "sustainable future" in Indonesia. Financial and policy, institutional strengthening, and south-south cooperation from major tropical forest nations were key themes.  
Eight of the world's biggest development banks announced a fundamental investment shift from roads to public transport, under a USD$175 billion initiative to promote buses, trains and cycle lanes. This was the largest monetary commitment made during Rio+20 to sustainable development.

What WWF wanted out of Rio+20 and what we commit to fight for:  

Sustainable Development Goals – These goals must be an evolution of the Millennium Development Goals and should name thematic areas such as food, water, energy and oceans goals and set up the process to create them, fund them and measure them.  

To value natural wealth – The world still needs indicators to measure the quality of the environment, nature, and biodiversity and ecosystems alongside their existing economic (GDP) and social (IHDI)  indicators.  

Subsidy reform: Transparent annual reporting and review on subsidy reforms leading to the elimination of by 2020 of all environmentally harmful subsidies, in particular fossil fuel subsidies, should be a global priority.

Ocean governance: Some progress was made in Rio on this issue, but we still need better ocean governance, including addressing the conservation and sustainable use of the high seas, outside of national boundaries.  

A stronger UN Environment Programme: Strengthening UNEP should be a priority, with the funding and authority to properly protect the world's environment.

WWF: Rio+20 Negotiating Text is colossal failure of leadership and vision

2012-06-19

WWF Director General Jim Leape today issued the following statement on the negotiating text released this morning by Brazil:

"Despite a late night negotiating session, the revised text is a colossal failure of leadership and vision from diplomats. They should be embarrassed at their inability to find common ground on such a crucial issue.

"Now it's up to world leaders to get serious about sustainable development and save this process. If they approve what's on the table now without significant changes, they've doomed Rio+20 to ridicule.

"While some weak words have been removed, diplomats have swapped them with toothless language. This includes tongue twisters like 'commit to the progressive realization' and several promises to 'recognize' problems and solutions.

"They've added some positive actions around oceans protection. But, the text has lots of words that 'commit' parties to nothing – such as 'commit to promote' and 'commit to systematically consider.'"

"Two years and one late night of negotiations later, diplomats in Rio are letting the world down.

"We're hoping that doesn't happen for all the hard work that's been leading up to this moment, and more importantly for the health of the people and the planet.

"World leaders 'recognized' problems 20 years ago, and they've done little about them since. How long are we going to accept 'we'll look into it' as a solution?"

Details on this morning's WWF action:

Earlier this morning world leaders, Heads of State and government negotiators attending Rio+20 were greeted on their way into the Summit by a large "Get SeRIOus+20" and "#LevemaSéRIO+20" banner hung from a giant hot air balloon, belonging to WWF, positioned beside the main route into the Summit.

Free, print quality images of the WWF banner and balloon are available for download from:

For more information contact:

Caroline Behringer
P: +55-21-8257-8852, (Rio - local)
P: +1-202-344-0852 (Rio - int'l)
@CaroBehr, @WWFnews

Brazil and Mexico leaders key to fate of sustainable development vision

2012-06-19

World leaders have four days to hash out a sustainable development vision, which is rapidly disintegrating in the Rio+20 negotiations – and Mexico and Brazil hold the keys to breaking the current political deadlock.

Mexican President Felipe Calderon is hosting G20 leaders in Los Cabos to address global economic and financial stability – a crucial platform to determine how countries can move beyond the traditional and narrow way of measuring growth and stability by taking into account social and environmental factors.

"Shadowed by worsening ecological and financial crises, world leaders have the opportunity in Los Cabos to change the way we measure growth to better account for social and environmental wealth," said Lasse Gustavsson, head of WWF's Rio+20 delegation. "To be meaningful, these indicators must be clear and comparable at the international level."

From Los Cabos, many G20 leaders will fly directly to Rio de Janeiro where, 20 years after the 1992 Rio Earth Summit, Brazil President Dilma Rousseff will host more than 120 Heads of States and governments. Negotiators in Rio are working – and currently failing – towards developing a common vision for a sustainable future.

"At this point, the G20 Summit and the Rio+20 Earth Summit are entirely intertwined – and the success of both processes rests on the skills of the Mexican and Brazilian leadership. Success at the G20 today would significantly invigorate the Rio+20 negotiations, where language on going beyond GDP and fossil fuel subsidy reform is on the table."

Failure to move on these critical issues would also represent a missed opportunity to showcase the G20's role as a responsible and constructive global actor.

Talks are presently uninspiring in Rio, focusing on process rather than substance, two years after first negotiations began on "the future we want". One of the major outcomes of Rio+20 would be a credible and effective process to Sustainable Development Goals and the naming of key thematic areas now.

"Ultimately, we are in desperate need of a high-level political mandate to deliver a successful outcome in Rio+20 – and this discussion needs to start among world leaders at the G20 under the leadership of Mexico," Gustavsson said.

An end to fossil Fuels subsidies

Three years ago at the Pittsburgh G20, Heads of State pledged to reform fossil fuels subsidies for the first time. Since then there has been little progress and no concrete action. WWF calls on the G20 leaders to commit to end environmentally harmful fossil fuel subsidies and redirect these funds towards renewable, sustainable solutions.

"World leaders coming to Rio need to show their support for sustainable development by phasing out harmful fossil fuel subsidies completely and investing in a more sustainable future" added Gustavsson. "We call on governments to now deliver on past pledges, with transparent reporting to quantify existing subsidies and progress to date, and an action plan with concrete dates to phase out harmful fossil fuel subsidies".

Mobilising finance

WWF is also calling on G20 leaders to affirm pledges and innovative sources for sustainable development, including climate finance. In these difficult economic times, countries need to update public finances in an efficient way and this could include auctioning allowances or levies on emissions from the marine and aviation sector. These new forms of financing would activate financial flows and ensure additional income for governments while addressing key environmental issues. Just before the Rio+20 Conference opens, such a move would motivate decision-makers at Rio+20, showing there is scope for marshalling the resources necessary for sustainable development, even under current economic conditions.

For more information contact

Chris Chaplin, WWF International, cchaplin@wwf.sg, + 65 9826 3802

Rio+20 heroes and blockers: WWF country asks 06/18/12

2012-06-18

It's crunch time and the actions of a few governments over this week will either save or break these negotiations and, ultimately, save or break the future of the planet we all depend on.

WWF has identified the potential heroes and blockers, as well as those that are on the fence, and our experts can speak to each of these in more detail.

POTENTIAL HEROES

•    Brazil – As the host country and President of this session, Brazil has the ability to drive this process to a more successful outcome by not accepting a least common denominator agreement. But at the moment, they have pushed out a compromise text that compromises our future. Brazil President Dilma Roussef needs to step in immediately and give this process a boost, or 20 years from now, we'll remember Brazil as the country where the world gathered and failed to secure a sustainable world. She must use the opportunity of the G20 tomorrow to lift the talks to the highest political level with other heads of state.

•    EU – The EU has historically been a champion on a range of environmental issues, but they need to be more active in making the link between environment, poverty eradication and sustainable development, especially related to their own internal budget policy. We need the EU, led by the Danish Government, to lead by example and break the political deadlock in these negotiations. They also need to be brave on new sources of finance, such as Financial Transaction Taxes (FTTs) and the removal of agricultural and fossil fuel subsidies.

•    Mexico – Mexico is part of a new global leadership paradigm within emerging economies on environmental and development issues. We need them to use this leadership position to act as a broker between governments on the need for a new green economy that goes beyond GDP and incorporates sustainable development measures.

•    Africa Group – The Africa Group statements go a long way towards recognizing the role nature plays in development and poverty eradication. A number of countries in the group are already making progress towards indicators that go beyond GDP in measuring the health of an economy. They are progressive on forest protection and are calling for Zero Net Deforestation.

ON THE FENCE

•    G20 Leaders – The G20 leaders are meeting in Mexico and will be discussing issues that could significantly impact the outcome of Rio+20. In particular, we need these leaders to revisit their 2009 pledge to reform fossil fuel subsidies. World leaders should agree to transparent annual reporting and review on subsidy reforms leading to the elimination of by 2020 of all subsidies that negatively impact the environment, in particular fossil fuel subsidies. They also need to agree to set up clear and comparable national indicators that go beyond GDP. We cannot achieve economic stability without long-term sustainable development.

•    India – India needs to acknowledge and act on the knowledge that environmental protection contributes to, and is necessary, for sustainable development, human well-being and poverty alleviation – which are all goals that the country aspires to. They have the ability to lead on issues such as sustainable river flows and energy access.

•    China – China has recognized the need to incorporate environmental health indicators into their overall development measurements and has been taking numerous actions at home to develop more sustainably. They need to bring this knowledge and experience into this forum so that a common vision can be constructed that allows for comparable methodologies to be adopted by all countries for the benefit of everyone.

•    United States – The U.S. is still on the fence, but has largely played a spoiler role in this process calling for a weak and non-committal outcome. They need to stop blocking one of the most promising outcomes of Rio, namely an implementation agreement to protect the health of our oceans. They also have the ability to lead on green accounting and the long-term protection of the benefits nature provides for people, such as clean air and water.

BLOCKERS

•    Major Oil Exporting Countries (OPEC) – Major oil exporters from Latin America to the Middle East, particularly Saudi Arabia, Venezuela, Ecuador and Qatar, are stopping an agreement on phasing out fossil fuel subsidies. Globally, these subsidies are at least $750 billion USD – all going to dirty fuels that drive climate change. And generally, fossil fuel subsidies don't do a lot to help the poor. Only 8% of $409 billion USD in consumption subsidies actually went to the poorest 20% of the world's population. Governments should instead target this money on a just transition to renewable energy, and on poverty alleviation.

•    Canada – Canada has blocked progress so far in every realm at Rio +20. Canada refuses to acknowledge any differences in responsibility between developed and developing countries, is blocking on any new financing and generally seem unwilling to make any concessions within this process. This is a negotiation, and yet it's not clear anyone from Canada has any mandate to move in any way on any issue. Canada appears disinterested in measures to safeguard the environment. So, why are they here?

WWF, ITUC appeal to Dilma to save faltering Rio+20 negotiations

2012-06-18

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: WWF and the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) are urging Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff to step in and save the faltering Rio+20 negotiations.

Deliberations – currently being led by host country Brazil – are falling flat and have produced a very weak negotiating document, eliminating any urgency around the need for sustainable development, WWF and ITUC said.

With only a week to save face and produce a strong outcome in Rio+20, WWF and ITUC are asking President Rousseff to use her influence as leader of the negotiations' host country to reinvigorate the process and tell her Brazil delegation to pressure negotiators to deliver results.

"The planet is running out of time – yet leaders are answering with weak words that don't even come close to the kind of commitments we need to ensure people everywhere have access to clean water, food, and energy," said Jim Leape, Director General of WWF International. "The current negotiating text may be called 'the future we need', but it certainly doesn't have the commitments we need. There is still time for leaders to step up - and we need Dilma to lead the way."

Central to the discussions at Rio is the need to address the inter-linkages between food, water and energy. Rapid economic development and per-capita consumption around the world is burning up more natural resources than are available. With demands for food, water and energy continuing to rise - particularly in rapidly developing nations including Brazil and China - the inertia on show now at Rio is putting the future of the planet at risk - along with the livelihoods of hundreds of millions of people.

Decent and green jobs

General Secretary of the ITUC Sharan Burrow says the current Rio text does not even come close to addressing desperately needed action that will ensure the creation of decent and green jobs and social protection for all. Recent ITUC research shows that 48 million jobs could be directly created in 12 countries if green investment was lifted to 2 per cent of national GDP every year, over the next five years.

"Governments must agree on concrete actions that will translate as binding agreements and that will ensure the eradication of poverty, respect for social and trade union rights, and the protection of the environment", said Sharan Burrow. "We must come out of Rio with a clear commitment to social protection for all by 2030 and the necessary resources to implement it in the poorest countries. Without these concrete commitments, as the foundations for a new model of development, we will leave Rio with worse than "business as usual", it will be a huge opportunity lost".

WWF and the ITUC believe Rio+20 can be a success if Parties commit to:

Deliver a strong political mandate and inclusive process to develop Sustainable Development Goals to 2030 in a single-track approach with the post-2015 MDG framework, with key areas on food, water, energy, decent work and social protection named.
Develop national indicators to measure environmental performance that are clear and comparable internationally
Recognize the value of natural wealth by integrating social and environmental costs into policy and decision making.
Launch a strategy on sustainable employment, aimed at reducing unemployment, eliminating precarious work and creating decent and green jobs.
Launch a global social protection programme that takes into account the three pillars of sustainable development and aims at achieving universal coverage by 2030.
Launch as soon as possible negotiations of an implementing agreement to United Nation Convention on Laws of the Sea (UNCLOS) to address sustainable use of marine biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction.
Means to implement the above commitments according to common but differentiated responsibilities

For more information contact:

WWF: Chris Chaplin, WWF International, cchaplin@wwf.sg, + 65 9826 3802

ITUC: Alex Praça alexandre.praca@csa-csi.org tel. +55 11 2104 0771 fax +55 11 2104 0751

Weak words winning out at Rio+20

2012-06-18

"No political miracle in sight" is the judgment of WWF on the first attempt at a compromise negotiating text by the Brazilian Government at Rio+20, released Saturday evening.

WWF Head of Delegation Lasse Gustavsson said:

"While we think some of the new text is a good base for the future, such as the language on oceans, we see a lopsided victory of weak words over action words – with the weak words winning out at 514 to 10.

"Diplomats now only have a few days to salvage this process before world leaders show up.

"We're hoping they've stocked up on coffee and sleep because they've got some long nights ahead of them if they want to avoid embarrassing their bosses.

"The negotiating text is peppered throughout with words like 'support,' 'encourage' and 'promote,' and is very short on strong language like 'must' and 'will.'

"'Encourage' is used approximately 50 times, while the word 'must' is used three times. Apparently, negotiators really like the word 'support' – they used it approximately 99 times – but can't bear to use language like 'we will,' which appears only five times.

"The weak words appear in the parts of the text we most need hardened up – the section on green economy launches a process which they already launched in 1992. The language around much needed sustainable development goals and the language around energy, which could have been written by the oil and gas industry, also fall short.

"We don't need meaningless pages right now. What we need is a manual to save the world."

On the G20 Summit:

"Meanwhile, world leaders attending the G20 Summit this week in Mexico will be discussing issues that could significantly impact the outcome of Rio+20. With the pace of negotiations here caught in political quicksand, we need world leaders in Mexico to give Rio a boost.

"In particular, we're looking to world leaders in Mexico to revisit their 2009 G20 pledge in Pittsburgh to reform fossil fuel subsidies. The reform of environmentally harmful subsidies is a strong area for success at Rio+20.

"The G20 is an economic and financial stability forum – and there is no way to achieve economic stability without long-term sustainable development."

Weak words winning out at Rio+20

2012-06-16

Partial veto of Forest Code not enough to protect Amazon or Dilma's reputation

2012-05-25

Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff today offered neither approval nor a full veto of the Forest Code bill approved by the Chambers of Deputies.

Despite the massive national and international social mobilization in favour of a full veto, the president opted to reject 12 of 84 articles in the bill. This attempt to parse elements of an already complicated piece of legislation will make the new Forest Code extraordinarily difficult to implement.

The president's decision comes just weeks before Brazil hosts the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, Rio+20. Today's actions send a murky message about Brazil's commitment to environmental protection.

"For the last decade, Brazil has been on a path of economic and environmental progress. President Rousseff's statement today creates an uncertain future for Brazilian forests, considering the Congress could still cut forest protections even further," said Jim Leape, WWF International Director General.

The revised legislation was backed by powerful agribusiness interests, but loudly condemned by Brazilian society and social and environmental organizations worldwide. President Rousseff's unfortunate decision will make it difficult for her to speak credibly about sustainable development when heads of state gather in Rio next month.

For further information:
In Brazil: Regina Cavini tel: +55 61 3364 7480 mobile: +55 61 8165 6812 email: reginacavini@wwf.org.br
In Switzerland: Gretchen Lyons mobile: +41 79 916 0136 email: glyons@wwfint.org

Run-up to Rio bad time for U-turn on forest protection

2012-05-23

Humanity is now using 50 per cent more resources than the Earth can provide, according to WWF's recently released 2012 Living Planet Report. The consequences are seen in ongoing deforestation, increasing water scarcity, rising carbon emissions and crashing fish stocks. They can also be seen starkly in the Living Planet Index, a measure of the changes in the planet's biodiversity, which shows a decline of 28 per cent since 1970.

Yet, amid dire news for the well-being of people and nature, there have been notable conservation successes in recent years that demonstrate alternatives to 'business as usual.' Brazil, for example, has made stunning progress over the past decade reducing deforestation in the Amazon. This was achieved while growing the economy, making Brazil an exemplar among emerging economies.

Now, just as Brazil prepares to take centre stage at the UN Conference on Sustainable Development to be held in Rio de Janeiro in June, the nation is on the verge of making a u-turn on forest protection.

Legislation passed by the Brazilian Congress last month would severely weaken the nation's long-standing Forest Code, which is meant to protect sensitive forest areas and guard against rampant deforestation in the Amazon and elsewhere. The revisions, backed by powerful agribusiness interests and passed in both Brazil's House and Senate, aim to dismantle forest protections and offer wide ranging amnesties for past illegal deforestation.

Brazil's Institute for Applied Economic Research (IPEA) has estimated that the new legislation could lead to the loss of up to 76.5 million hectares of forest, which translates to 28 billion tonnes of added CO2 in the atmosphere, making it impossible for Brazil to reach its carbon reduction targets.

Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff has until 25 May to decide whether to veto all or part of the bill, or allow it to become law.

"President Dilma faces extraordinary political pressure to side with the wealthy and powerful who support this bill. Surely she stands to gain their favor if she sells out the

Amazon. But her citizens have asked her to keep her campaign promises. Scientists have warned of the consequences of a return to runaway deforestation. And it's hard to imagine how she could speak with any integrity about sustainable development in Rio. Her choice should be clear – issue a full veto," said Lasse Gustavsson, Executive Director of Conservation, WWF International.

The findings of the Living Planet Report show that humanity is squandering the very resources we depend on for survival. It offers both the reasons humanity needs to change course, and the steps we can take today to live within the Earth's ecological limits. One key recommendation is to produce more efficiently.

"In Brazil, better land-use planning could bring up to 61 million hectares of underproductive pastures back into cultivation without additional deforestation. This is just one avenue that must be fully explored before Brazil opens up its unique forest landscapes for deforestation and degradation," said Gustavsson.

For further information:
Name: Gretchen Lyons tel: +41 79 916 0136 email: glyons@wwfint.org

WWF's 2012 Living Planet Report

About WWF
WWF is one of the world's largest and most respected independent conservation organizations, with over 5 million supporters and a global network active in over 100 countries. WWF's mission is to stop the degradation of the earth's natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature, by conserving the world's biological diversity, ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable, and promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumption.

Dilma silent as world calls for full veto of Forest Code reform

2012-05-11

Gland, Switzerland (11 May 2012) — Three of the world's leading conservation and advocacy organizations will today begin a mass mobilization of their 22 million supporters to call on Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff to veto the Forest Code bill passed by the House of Deputies.

WWF, Greenpeace and Avaaz say the proposed changes to the Forest Code would threaten recent successes in reducing forest loss and compromise efforts to tackle corruption in the Amazon region.

Already more than 1.3 million people from around the world have signed Avaaz's petition calling on President Rousseff to veto the proposed Forest Code; this number is expected to rise dramatically in the next few days. Likewise, hundreds of thousands of WWF and Greenpeace supporters have echoed the call on social media channels such Twitter, using #SOSBrazil and #VetaTudoDilma, and by posting messages directly to the Facebook page of the president's political party, Partido dos Trabalhadores.

The petition will be bolstered by a campaign by the three groups to have their millions of supporters deluge Brazilian embassies around the world with messages and calls showing global opposition to the bill.

President Rousseff has not given public reaction nor indicated whether she intends to fight the measure since it was passed on 25 April. The groups say that only a full veto will safeguard Brazil's forests and the global climate. President Rousseff received the bill this week and has until 25 May to veto all or part of the bill, or to allow it to become law.

"Over the past decade, Brazil has achieved stunning progress in reducing deforestation in the Amazon. We recognize that President Rousseff is under massive political pressure from those who would burn the forest for short-term gain, but we urge her to stand firm for the protection of the forest resources that are so vital to the future of all Brazilians, and the world," said Jim Leape, WWF International Director General.

Brazil's Institute for Applied Economic Research (IPEA) has estimated that 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. This would make it impossible for Brazil to reach its carbon reduction targets.

"Thousands of people from all over the world are sounding the alarm and calling Brazilian embassies to urge President Rousseff to save the Amazon. Nearly 80 per cent of Brazilians want this catastrophic bill scrapped, and so far over a million people across the world support them. President Rousseff has a choice – sign the Amazon's death sentence or protect the planet's lungs and emerge a public hero," said Ricken Patel, Avaaz Executive Director.

"President Dilma Rousseff stands at a defining moment for her presidency. The choice is clear. She can ignore the Brazilian people and side with 'destruction as usual' as enshrined in the new Forest Code or exercise her veto and support the call for a new Zero Deforestation Law. We urge her to take the visionary path of a leader who understands that with power comes responsibility," said Kumi Naidoo, Greenpeace International Executive Director.

The groups further criticize the bill's amnesty provisions for past illegal forest clearance. The proposed amnesties would not only free environmental criminals from prosecution, but also forfeit an estimated US$4.8 billion in fines.

The groups are urging President Rousseff to listen to her own constituents – 94 per cent of whom say they are concerned about the environment, according to a recent survey conducted for the National Industry Confederation – and to the global movement that is calling for a veto.

###

Note to Editors: the petition can be found here:
http://www.avaaz.org/en/veto_dilma_global/?wwf

For further information:
In Switzerland: Gretchen Lyons, tel: +41 79 916 0136 email: glyons@wwfint.org
In Brazil: Regina Cavini tel: +55 61 8165 6812 email: reginacavini@wwf.org.br

About WWF
WWF is one of the world's largest and most respected independent conservation organizations, with over 5 million supporters and a global network active in over 100 countries. WWF's mission is to stop the degradation of the earth's natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature, by conserving the world's biological diversity, ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable, and promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumption.

Countdown starts for presidential veto on Brazil Forest Code

2012-05-09

Brasilia, Brazil: Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff has until May 25 to decide whether to veto a draft rewrite of Brazil's Forest Code that will wind back protections against deforestation in the Amazon and other areas and offer wide ranging amnesties for illegal deforestation.

The 15 working day period for a complete or partial veto on the Forest Code submitted by the Brazilian Congress commenced last Monday (May 7), when the bill was officially handed to the president. In absence of a veto, the new law would be sanctioned automatically once the deadline has passed.

"While big landowners will make a mint through unprecedented natural destruction, the costs, caused for example by increasing floods and landslides, will be delegated to the general public. That's a serious attack on all Brazilians", said Maria Cecília Wey de Brito, CEO from WWF-Brazil.

Along with a broad alliance of more than 200 institutions from the Brazilian civil society and international NGOs Avaaz and Greenpeace, WWF is strongly urging President Rousseff to veto the entire draft, recalling her promise from last elections not to approve any bill that includes an amnesty and favours forest deforestation.

Should Ms Rousseff veto the law – as a whole or parts of it – the Congress will have up to 30 days to consider the veto. The Congress can still overthrow the president's decision during a joint session of the federal Senate and House of Deputies. This requires the absolute majority of votes from both houses.

The draft includes an amnesty for illegal deforestation committed prior to July 2008. According to a study by the Brazilian Institute of Applied Research in Economics (Ipea), that would release landowners from the obligation of restoring an area of 135 million hectares with just one condition: Landowners need to state that deforestation had occurred before July 2008.

Areas that have (officially) been cleared after July 2008 still need to be restored, but under the terms of the law, up to 50 per cent of this restoration may comprise commercial plantations of, for instance, eucalyptus or pine trees. WWF is also concerned by the largely weakened protection for fragile habitats like rivers, slopes and mountain tops.

The need to restore vegetation on the banks of rivers that are less than 10 meters wide – which accounts for 90 percent of Brazilian rivers – will be cut by half. Furthermore the draft allows agricultural activities like exotic tree plantations for charcoal or pulp production on lands having over 45° gradient.

Extensive cattle ranching will be allowed on slopes, on the edges of plateaus, on mountain tops as well as in areas which are above 1,800 meters high. All those risk areas will be open to exploitation, which will make them and people living around them even more vulnerable to landslides and floods.

Revised Brazilian Forest Code good for environmental criminals, bad for forests

2012-04-26

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.

Revised Brazilian Forest Code good for environmental criminals, bad for forests

2012-04-26

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.

For further information:
In Brazil: Regina Cavini, Tel: +55 61 3364 7480; Mobile: +55 61 8165 6812; reginacavini@wwf.org.br

About WWF
WWF is one of the world's largest and most respected independent conservation organizations, with over 5 million supporters and a global network active in over 100 countries. WWF's mission is to stop the degradation of the earth's natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature, by conserving the world's biological diversity, ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable, and promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumption.

"Future We Want" proposals are not the future we need: WWF

2012-01-12

Gland, Switzerland – The first negotiating draft for the Rio+20 summit on sustainable development has the direction right, but the magnitude wrong, global environmental organization WWF said today.

"The Future We Want" Zero Draft acknowledges the need for poverty eradication, food security, and measures of progress towards sustainable development, but has few practical measures to enable the world to meet challenges in balancing competing global food, water and energy needs over the next 10 years.

"This document recognizes that countries have failed to act effectively on the environment and development over the last two decades but its lack of binding commitments risks setting us up for another decade of failure," said Lasse Gustavsson, Executive Director, Conservation at WWF International.

"The proposed "Register of Voluntary Commitments" just will not get the world where it needs to be," he said.

WWF has identified the need to solve the "Food, Energy, Water" equation as crucial to the success of such a critical global conference intended to give the world a new sense of purpose in achieving sustainable development 20 years after the original Earth Summit. But this first negotiating draft for the Rio+20 summit is especially weak on water-related ambition.

"Rio 2012 could fail solely on the basis of what it does – or doesn't do – on freshwater," said Gustavsson. "At this point, the document isn't offering much more than a recommitment to sanitation systems."

"What we need is water management based on natural, not political boundaries; a commitment to protect and restore vital freshwater systems; protection for the forests that safeguard our water supplies; and to prepare the world for the major water supply impacts of climate change."

WWF welcomes the commitment to the sustainable management of marine and ocean resources, but is concerned there is no commitment to a sorely needed system of high seas protection, no workable safeguards for the sustainability of dwindling fish stocks, and no proposals for curtailing criminal exploitation of marine living resources.

"We welcome the fact that a number of priority issues have been addressed, including the need for government and business frameworks to develop green economies, a move towards low carbon development and the elimination of environmentally harmful subsidies," said Gustavsson.

Other WWF concerns:

· The proposals for change are based on "voluntary national commitments" – which are not legally binding and will not commit countries to meet any targets or to work within a given timeframe. Countries need to agree targets, timelines and funding that match the challenges they are tackling.

· The text on developing green economies fails to require bringing social and environmental costs into national accounts, tax measures and certification schemes.

· Proposals to tackle food, water and energy security need specific targets, concrete implementation measures and a clear funding agreement.

· The text fails to take into account the critical role of climate change, and of ecosystem services which are key factors underpinning the production of food, energy and water.

· Many of the proposals for change are vague and open-ended. For example there are no targets for stopping deforestation or goals for effective water management.

WWF warns on looming Amazon deforestation disaster as Brazil senate votes to dismantle protections

2011-12-07

Jim Leape on the Brazil Forest Law from WWF on Vimeo.

The new law, promoted by some rural and agribusiness interests, opens vast new areas of forest to agriculture and cattle ranching and extends amnesties to illegal deforestation conducted prior to 2008. Areas formerly held to be too steep or vital to the protection of watersheds and watercourses are among those now open to destruction.

Polls showed a majority of the population opposed to the revision of the Forest Code, with a vocal majority of experts warning that the new version of the law will hinder Brazil's long-term development and not help it.

"We have a powerful minority condemning the future of millions of Brazilians, all in the name of quick financial gain," stated WWF-Brazil's CEO, Maria Cecilia Wey de Brito. "No thought has been given to the social and economic costs of destroying our forests. The Senate has adopted, once again, the outdated and false notion that conservation and development are somehow at odds, something we know is not true."

If signed into law by Brazil President Dilma Rousseff, the changes will jeopardize Brazil's significant environmental achievements of recent years and severely undermine global efforts to fight climate change and halt biodiversity loss. The changes are also expected to expose poor Brazilians to larger risks from floods and droughts.

Brazil has committed to 2020 targets of a nearly 40 percent cut in its growth curve of greenhouse gas emissions and a reduction of Amazon deforestation levels by 80 percent compared to average rates registered for the period of 1996-2005. These are commitments of global interest, now almost certainly out of reach because of the revisions to the Forest Code.

The Senate decision also comes in the midst of international climate talks in Durban, South Africa, and precedes Brazil's hosting of the UN Conference on Sustainable Development, or "Rio+20", in June 2012. Brazil's credibility as it hosts this and other key global events (2014 World Cup, 2016 Summer Olympics) will be severely compromised if it passes environmental legislation favoring deforestation of the Amazon and other globally-important regions, WWF warned.

"WWF-Brazil has gone along with the legislative processes, has worked with others to help bring science to the political debate and has defined common points with good agribusiness and others," said Wey de Brito. "Now we must urge President Rousseff to consider the severe implications of signing the revisions into law, including irreparable harm to Brazil's natural resources, its economic development, and to the future health and well-being of millions of Brazilians and billions of people around the world."

WWF-Brazil is supported by WWF's entire international network in urging President Rousseff to act in Brazil's interests rather than a sectional interest – noting that the President has already said she would not support an amnesty for illegal deforestation.

"We're at a time in history when the world seeks leadership in smart, forward-thinking development," said WWF International Director-General Jim Leape. "Brazil was staking a claim to being such a leader.

"It will be a tragedy for Brazil and for the world if it now turns its back on more than a decade of achievement to return to the dark days of catastrophic deforestation."

WWF warns on looming Amazon deforestation disaster as Brazil senate votes to dismantle protections

2011-12-07

Brasilia, Brazil: Brazil's Senate has decided to pursue short term gain over long term security in a vote to do away with long standing protections for the Amazon and other key forested areas, WWF warned today.

The new law, promoted by some rural and agribusiness interests, opens vast new areas of forest to agriculture and cattle ranching and extends amnesties to illegal deforestation conducted prior to 2008. Areas formerly held to be too steep or vital to the protection of watersheds and watercourses are among those now open to destruction.

Polls showed a majority of the population opposed to the revision of the Forest Code, with a vocal majority of experts warning that the new version of the law will hinder Brazil's long-term development and not help it.

"We have a powerful minority condemning the future of millions of Brazilians, all in the name of quick financial gain," stated WWF-Brazil's CEO, Maria Cecilia Wey de Brito. "No thought has been given to the social and economic costs of destroying our forests. The Senate has adopted, once again, the outdated and false notion that conservation and development are somehow at odds, something we know is not true."

If signed into law by Brazil President Dilma Rousseff, the changes will jeopardize Brazil's significant environmental achievements of recent years and severely undermine global efforts to fight climate change and halt biodiversity loss. The changes are also expected to expose poor Brazilians to larger risks from floods and droughts.

Brazil has committed to 2020 targets of a nearly 40 percent cut in its growth curve of greenhouse gas emissions and a reduction of Amazon deforestation levels by 80 percent compared to average rates registered for the period of 1996-2005. These are commitments of global interest, now almost certainly out of reach because of the revisions to the Forest Code.

The Senate decision also comes in the midst of international climate talks in Durban, South Africa, and precedes Brazil's hosting of the UN Conference on Sustainable Development, or "Rio+20", in June 2012. Brazil's credibility as it hosts this and other key global events (2014 World Cup, 2016 Summer Olympics) will be severely compromised if it passes environmental legislation favoring deforestation of the Amazon and other globally-important regions, WWF warned.

"WWF-Brazil has gone along with the legislative processes, has worked with others to help bring science to the political debate and has defined common points with good agribusiness and others," said Wey de Brito. "Now we must urge President Rousseff to consider the severe implications of signing the revisions into law, including irreparable harm to Brazil's natural resources, its economic development, and to the future health and well-being of millions of Brazilians and billions of people around the world."

WWF-Brazil is supported by WWF's entire international network in urging President Rousseff to act in Brazil's interests rather than a sectional interest – noting that the President has already said she would not support an amnesty for illegal deforestation.

"We're at a time in history when the world seeks leadership in smart, forward-thinking development," said WWF International Director-General Jim Leape. "Brazil was staking a claim to being such a leader.

"It will be a tragedy for Brazil and for the world if it now turns its back on more than a decade of achievement to return to the dark days of catastrophic deforestation."

For further information:

Denise Oliveira, doliveira@wwf.org.br, +55 6133647497

Maristela Pessoa, maristela@wwf.org.br

About WWF

WWF is one of the world's largest and most respected independent conservation organizations, with over 5 million supporters and a global network active in over 100 countries. WWF's mission is to stop the degradation of the earth's natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature, by conserving the world's biological diversity, ensuring that the use of renewable natural resources is sustainable, and promoting the reduction of pollution and wasteful consumption.

Amazon and other regions at risk as Brazil's Senate poised to strip forest protections

2011-11-22

The Brazilian Senate is poised to pass measures that will strip the Amazon forest and other important ecosystems of hard won protections and open up vast amounts of the forest to agriculture and cattle ranching.

Senators intent on doing away with core elements of Brazil's long-standing Forest Code – legislation protecting the most sensitive forest areas and establishing the amount of forest that can be legally converted to different uses – are pushing to vote on a drastically revised version of the code as soon as the end of the month.

The new version of the law, backed by powerful agribusiness interests, has been rushed through both the House and Senate with an alarming disregard for input from critical sectors.

"Input from scientists, researchers, family farmers and social groups has been systematically ignored in both the House and Senate," says WWF-Brazil's CEO Maria Cecilia Wey de Brito.

"You cannot argue that a law favors Brazil's development and well-being when so many leading experts say otherwise. The entire process has defied common sense."

A potentially massive dump of greenhouse gas emissions into atmosphere

Studies show that under the proposed revisions, natural vegetation in Brazil could be cleared or not restored on more than 175 million acres, an area roughly the size of Germany, Italy and Austria combined.

Under this worst-case scenario, more than 25 billion additional tons of CO2 would be added to the atmosphere, about four times the goal for global reductions in greenhouse gas emissions under the Kyoto Protocol during 2008-12, and 13 times Brazil's total emissions from 2007 alone.

Eroding confidence in Brazil's environmental leadership credentials

The proposed changes to the Forest Code severely contradict Brazil's recent efforts to position itself as a global environmental leader. Brazil has committed to cutting by almost 40% the growth curve of greenhouse gas emissions, and to reduce Amazon deforestation by 80% compared to average rates registered for the period of 1996-2005, both by 2020. Passage of the revised Forest Code, in its current form, would likely make it impossible to meet either of these goals.

Furthermore, by taking such a giant step backward, Brazil will be cutting itself off from a growing global market for responsibly sourced goods, in addition to forgoing the countless benefits provided by a healthy Amazon, such as clean air and water, stable weather patterns and various other environmental services.

In June, Brazil will host the UN Conference on Sustainable Development, known as "Rio + 20". It marks the 20th anniversary of the Earth Summit, which was a turning point for global conservation. Rolling back protection of the Amazon could severely damage the country's reputation as it hosts this and other upcoming global events, including the 2014 World Cup and 2016 Summer Olympics.

"We are watching, just before Brazil hosts Rio + 20, a clear attempt to dismantle Brazil's environmental legislation," stated Wey de Brito. "This is something unprecedented in our history."

Following the Senate vote, the bill will go once more in front of the House before being sent to President Dilma Rousseff for final approval or veto.

WWF is calling on lawmakers in Brazil to reconsider the overwhelming evidence demonstrating that the new legislation is not in the best interest of Brazilian society, and to recognize that Brazil's development, reputation and economic future are all inherently tied to its ability to retain its environmental assets.