Identification of farms with illegal deforestation would be done using satellites; producers may run out of credit
The group that deals with the environment in the transitional government is considering identifying, through satellite images, farmers who illegally deforest. they would suffer a “remote embargo”, where they would automatically lose access to bank credit.
The idea was presented by former Environment Minister Carlos Minc in an interview with journalists at the CCBB (Centro Cultural Banco do Brasil) this Wednesday (30.Nov.2022). According to him, the future government will be able to identify legal areas for deforestation and embargo those that are outside the rules.
“One thing is the team that is on the ground, sees that there is deforestation. It’s like a needle in a haystack. Another thing is using satellite. […] It is a quick, cheap, effective measure. Of course, the banks will have to immediately cut the credit for the units that are deforesting”, said.
For Minc, the measure will give results “strong and immediate”, already in the 1st quarter of next year. “The laziness and impunity are over. He deforested, he will suffer the consequences”said.
The former minister also said that the “environmental policy was destroyed in Brazil”. During the interview, other members of the group reported having found a terrible situation in the sector, especially in terms of the budget.
One of the priorities will be to revoke acts by the government of Jair Bolsonaro (PL) that made it impossible to apply environmental fines. Also listed as priorities were to resume foreign investment in the country for the sector and recover the prevention and control plan for the Amazon.
“The deforestation data that are coming out are very worrying. It is essential to face the climate issue. We are a leading country in the fight against the climate crisis. We have to be much more committed to this task”, said the technical coordinator of the transition, Aloizio Mercadante.
He also informed that the thematic group is discussing the possibility of creating the BIC, a consortium between Brazil, Indonesia and Congo. The 3 countries have the largest territories of tropical forests in the world and could articulate joint policies with, according to the former minister, “bolder commitments”.
Also former Minister of the Environment and quoted to return to the portfolio, Marina Silva (Rede) said that there are suspicions that criminal groups have intensified their actions in the last months of the Bolsonaro government “from the perspective of non-punishment”.
Marina also stated that there is a desire from several countries to increase donations for Brazil to use on the climate issue and that these resources could go directly to public entities linked to the sector.
“Brazil stopped using blackmail, saying that it would only protect the forests if they paid us to do so. Cooperation is welcome, but it is no longer blackmail”, said.
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