Brazilian President-elect Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva wants to prioritize the fight against climate change and the protection of the Amazon in his future government work. “There is no climate security in the world without a protected Amazon,” Lula said in Egypt on Wednesday at the current climate conference.
He announced that he would fight deforestation in all Brazilian ecosystems, rebuild environmental and control bodies weakened under President Jair Bolsonaro, and punish environmental crimes. Lula also reiterated his plan to start an indigenous ministry. He addressed the agricultural sector, calling it an “ally in preserving the environment”. It is necessary to reconcile forest protection with development.
It was Lula’s first official international speech since his election at the end of October. “I want to tell you that Brazil is back,” he said. The outvoted right-wing President Bolsonaro had largely isolated Brazil internationally.
The elected Brazilian leader attracted the most attention at Wednesday’s conference. Brazilians and other compatriots thronged each other during his public appearances, often erupting in cheers and lula chants. Fans and spectators crowded the hall for his speech in the evening.
Lula had previously accepted a letter from Amazon governors offering Brazil to the United Nations to host the 2025 World Climate Change Conference. “We will speak to the United Nations Secretary-General and ask that the COP be held in Brazil in 2025 – and in Brazil in the Amazon,” he said. “I think it’s important that the people who defend the Amazon get to know the region and the concrete reality.”
Indigenous activists said women are the most common victims of agribusiness and corporate projects in the region. “Women are the main guardians of areas like the Amazon and the land there,” says activist Helena Gualinga from Ecuador. “Protecting them and ensuring their basic rights helps protect the Amazon,” Gualinga said. State-backed oil and mining companies threatened indigenous peoples. “With Lula, we are optimistic that things can change,” said Taily Terena, an indigenous rights activist from Brazil.
In his previous term (2003 to 2010), the leftist Lula was not considered green, but he has now pledged to strengthen environmental and climate protection. In Brazil, he was criticized for traveling to COP27 on a businessman’s plane.
(yam/sda/dpa)
Soource :Watson
I am Amelia James, a passionate journalist with a deep-rooted interest in current affairs. I have more than five years of experience in the media industry, working both as an author and editor for 24 Instant News. My main focus lies in international news, particularly regional conflicts and political issues around the world.
