New threat to the rainforests of the Amazon

Started by Redpaintednavi, May 03, 2012, 03:16:38 AM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Redpaintednavi

New threats to the forests of the Amazon:

QuoteBrazil's Congress Approves Controversial Forest Law
April 26, 2012 | Source: BBC News

The Brazilian Chamber of Deputies has approved controversial legislation that eases rules on how much land farmers must preserve as forest.

Brazil's powerful farmers' lobby argues that the changes will promote sustainable food production.

But environmentalists say the new forest code will be a disaster and lead to further destruction of the Amazon.

The bill now goes to President Dilma Rousseff, who may use her veto to remove some clauses.

Wednesday's 247-184 vote in favour of the new forest code capped a year of political wrangling.

Brazil's farmers have long pushed for changes, arguing that uncertainty over the current legislation has undermined investment in the agriculture sector, which accounts for more than 5% of GDP.

Severe environmental restrictions have also forced many smaller farmers off their land, they argue.

Missed targets?
Rural producers would have "more stability and political support," said Deputy Paulo Piau, who drew up the Chamber's version of the bill.

"Production and the environment will only benefit from that. With a confused law there is no benefit," he said.

"Over the years, we have slowed deforestation and intensified production. Now we are going to modify all the things that resulted in the decrease of deforestation by changing the legislation," said Deputy Sarney Filho.

Greenpeace urged President Rousseff to veto the changes, saying: "It is unbelievable that the forest code is being eroded weeks before Brazil hosts the Rio summit (on sustainable development)."

Several former environment ministers had warned that Brazil would miss its emissions targets if the code were weakened, Greenpeace noted.

Deforestation of the Amazon has slowed in recent years, as a result of better law enforcement, with authorities using satellite images to track clearance.

Under the Forest Code, which dates back to 1965, landowners must conserve a percentage of their terrain forested, ranging from 20% in some regions to 80% in the Amazon.

This provision remains, but environmentalists say other changes to the code will erode key protections.

Under the new bill, farmers will be able to cultivate land closer to hilltops and riverbanks, which are especially vulnerable to erosion if trees are chopped down.

The bill also provides an amnesty from fines for illegally clearing trees before July 2008, although larger landholders would have to replant most of the cleared area or preserve the same amount of land elsewhere.

President Rousseff faces a political dilemma, correspondents say, as she seeks to combine support for economic development, but also uphold environmental pledges made during her election campaign in 2010.

AMAZON WATCH

Still the president can veto the new law:

QuoteRousseff Pressed to Veto Brazil Forestry Law

The legislation would allow landowners to cultivate riverbanks that were previously protected, and would provide an amnesty from fines for illegal logging.

April 26, 2012 | AFP

Brasilia, Brazil – Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff came under enormous pressure from environmentalists to veto a new forestry bill they fear will speed up deforestation of the Amazon rainforest. Carlos Rittl, a WWF climate expert, called it the "biggest environmental retreat in Brazil in decades."

AMAZON WATCH


President Dilma: Veto This Forest Code Hatchet Job!

AMAZON WATCH

Redpaintednavi

On top of this the whole of Amazon is under threat from a lot of planned mega dams (Belo Monte is just one of many):


QuoteWill Mega-Dams Destroy the Amazon?

More than 150 new dams planned across the Amazon basin could significantly disrupt the ecological connectivity of the Amazon River to the Andes with substantial impacts for fish populations, nutrient cycling, and the health of Earth's largest rainforest, warns a comprehensive study published in the journal PLoS ONE.

Scouring public data and submitting information requests to governments, researchers Matt Finer of Save America's Forests and Clinton Jenkins of North Carolina State University documented plans for new dams in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. They found that 40 percent of the projects are already in advanced planning stages and more than half would be large dams over 100 megawatts. 60 percent of the dams "would cause the first major break in connectivity between protected Andean headwaters and the lowland Amazon", while more than 80 percent "would drive deforestation due to new roads, transmission lines, or inundation."

"These results are quite troubling given the critical link between the Andes Mountains and the Amazonian floodplain," said lead author Finer in a statement. "There appears to be no strategic planning regarding possible consequences to the disruption of an ecological connection that has existed for millions of years."

AMAZON WATCH

Toruk Makto

That is why Belo Monte was so important to stop. But apparently Brazil is hell-bent on appearing modern and trendy to the rest of the world at the expense of the rainforest and its inhabitants.
If this continues, Dilma Rousseff will forever be vilified as the person that allowed the Amazon basin to be destroyed.

Lì'fyari leNa'vi 'Rrtamì, vay set 'almong a fra'u zera'u ta ngrrpongu
Na'vi Dictionary: http://files.learnnavi.org/dicts/NaviDictionary.pdf

Seze Mune

One can only wonder what effect that will have on the 'lungs' (oxygen regeneration) of the planet.

Tsmuktengan

#4
No doubt Dilma will not oppose it's veto on this. There are big interests for lobbyists there, and certainly dollars behind as well.

The impact might not be immediate. Yet, Brazil will not have the right to ask why they have more frequently and more devastating floods in the country. Everywhere where large forests have been brought down, tropical storms create a lot more issues (Haiti, Bangladesh, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Philippines, etc).

Yet, the planting of new reforested areas in the future when the tendency would be reversed, would sensibly help reestablishing balance between the atmospheric gases (O2 versus CO2 and Methane for what I know). Yougner forests help better than old forests, although it isn't a big reason to cut them down.

The most alarming I see here is the absence of "strategic" planning. This means they do not anticipate the consequences and the new hazards that can occur on large areas in the future, and that such projects have all chances to be poorly led and designed. All this just seems inefficient and mainly powered by corruption.

Brazil is just going the opposite way compared to the developed countries. Sad.

Following this, here is a statement from Yann Arthus-Bertand :
Quote from: Yann Arthus-BertrandMany people say that natural dis-asters (cyclones, flooding, drought...) linked to global warming are more frequent; however, it is difficult to make out any trends. Even if it is true that the number of disastrous events has remained stable until now, the number of people affected and the cost of damages have definitely increased.

Recent facts point out that the disasters become increasingly intense and devastating and therefore touch more people. Additionnally, deforestation has proven to destroy what was keeping the waters of tropical storms from flooding the territories that are below the previous locations of these forests, here as well, having devastating effects. The Thailand floods that even reached Bangkok is the best example as well as among the most recent ones.

Aren't there any other sources that would be more balanced than Amazon Watch though? BBC is quite good.


Tsanten Eywa 'eveng

Bad news, I mean really bad news :(


The Brazilian Congress has just passed a catastrophic forestry bill that gives loggers and farmers free rein to cut down huge swaths of the Amazon. Now only President Dilma can stop it.

Fortunately, the timing is on our side -- in weeks Dilma will host the world's biggest environmental summit and insiders say she cannot afford to open it as the leader who approved the destruction of the rainforest. She's facing mounting domestic pressure, with 79% of Brazilians rejecting this new bill. Now, if we join them we can turn up the global heat and push her to axe the bill, not the rainforest.

Dilma could make her decision any day. Let's get her to veto the bill now.

http://www.avaaz.org/en/veto_dilma_global/?cl=1796502229&v=14180

Toruk Makto

So she has the same dilemma as many other world leaders. Does she do the will of the people, or the corporations?

Lì'fyari leNa'vi 'Rrtamì, vay set 'almong a fra'u zera'u ta ngrrpongu
Na'vi Dictionary: http://files.learnnavi.org/dicts/NaviDictionary.pdf

Niri Te

Quote from: Tsanten Eywa 'eveng on May 09, 2012, 01:26:43 PM
Bad news, I mean really bad news :(


The Brazilian Congress has just passed a catastrophic forestry bill that gives loggers and farmers free rein to cut down huge swaths of the Amazon. Now only President Dilma can stop it.

Fortunately, the timing is on our side -- in weeks Dilma will host the world's biggest environmental summit and insiders say she cannot afford to open it as the leader who approved the destruction of the rainforest. She's facing mounting domestic pressure, with 79% of Brazilians rejecting this new bill. Now, if we join them we can turn up the global heat and push her to axe the bill, not the rainforest.

Dilma could make her decision any day. Let's get her to veto the bill now.

http://www.avaaz.org/en/veto_dilma_global/?cl=1796502229&v=14180

I just signed on with avaaz, we all need to pressure her to do the right thing for the planet. let's put our actions where our hearts are.
Niri Te
Tokx alu tawtute, Tirea Le Na'vi

Tsmuktengan

Quote from: Toruk Makto on May 10, 2012, 01:20:10 PM
So she has the same dilemma as many other world leaders. Does she do the will of the people, or the corporations?

Ideally you should find the balance for both. Exploring the Amazon's resources responsibly isn't an issue.
Exploiting it unreasonable, cutting it down, displacing people and progressively modifying it's natural balance interactions is the main fault that this government is denying. Continuing on such a way will make the future much more difficult to handle.


Seze Mune

Impacts - Changes in the Brazilian Forest Law

Why should YOU worry about the changes to the Brazilian Forest Law?  Watch the above video...

On May 7, 2012 the legislation was passed to Brazil's President, Dilma Rousseff. She now has 15 working days to decide to sign it into national law or to apply veto power to the full text or parts of it. A decision will be made by no later than May 25, 2012.

How You Can Help

Post this message to the President's political party Facebook page: Dear President Dilma Rousseff, please save the rain forest and protect our climate. Veto the new Forest Code!

Tweet this message: @ptbrasil Dear President Dilma Please save the rain forest & protect our climate. Veto the new Forest Code #VetaTudoDilma #SOSBrazil Pls RT