COP27: Norway promises to increase remittances to protect Amazon with Lula

The minister noted that there is currently about 540 million US dollars in the Amazon fund, which has been frozen since 2019 when Norway and Germany fell out with the Jair Bolsonaro government over how to manage transfers. Eddy emphasized that in addition to this money, other resources should be provided by the Scandinavian country from January 2023.

“This money is already there, but we are also very willing to collaborate with Brazil on other projects for the Amazon. The ecosystem respects no borders. So we are very excited about improving our relationship with Brazil, which I believe will happen.”

And when asked by BBC News Brasil if there was room to invest more money in the Amazon fund, he replied:

“Yes, in principle, yes. The first step is to free up the funds that are already there, but we want to have talks to close new collaborations.”

Earlier, at an event with governors of states that are home to regions of the Amazon rainforest, the Norwegian government’s program director that manages transfers from the Amazon fund, Andreas Dahe Jorgensen, said with Lula taking over “the world needs to mobilize resources to help Brazil.”

“Brazil demonstrated the best emissions mitigation results in history under Lula’s presidency. Our president-elect says he wants to repeat this feat, which is of enormous global significance. So the world must come together to mobilize resources and tools to partner with Brazil in a way like never before. From before “.

Germany, which contributes a smaller amount to the Amazon fund than Norway, said it may open up its stake even before taking over.

“The Amazon Fund works on performance. If deforestation goes down, so does the money flow. I’ve already publicly announced that we have to get back with the Amazon Fund, the funding will be available before the start of next year,” he said. Jochen Flasbarth, State Secretary at the German Ministry of Economics, at an event with the Brazilian conservatives at COP27.

“We are very attracted to the idea of ​​a permanent forest economy. This is what we want to see and support. We know that Brazil and the Amazon region need growth to improve people’s well-being and that is why we are renewing this partnership with our Brazilian friends.”

Lula is taking part on Wednesday (16) at COP27 in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt. His presence is one expected by international leaders and the foreign press.

At about 17:00 local time, he will give a speech. On Tuesday (15), already in Egypt, booked meetings are planned with the special envoys of the United States, John Kerry, and China, Xie Zhen Hua.

Before meeting Lula, John Kerry told BBC News Brasil that he was “excited” to speak with the president-elect and that he expected a “total shift” in Brazilian environmental policy.

“I am excited to meet him,” said Kerry. When asked by BBC News Brasil if the US would inject resources into the Amazon fund, he replied: “We’ll analyze it…Obviously I want to have the opportunity to talk (with Lula), but I’m confident he will promote a complete shift in policies.” .

“We’re excited to be working with him and we’re confident we’ll do everything we can (to keep Amazon going.”)

During COP27, Kerry also met federal deputy-elect Marina Silva, one of the most likely names to take over the environment ministry. In an interview with BBC News Brasil, she said she had asked the United States and representatives of other rich countries, such as Canada, Germany and Norway, to contribute financially to the Amazon fund.

“All the leaders I’ve spoken to have indicated that they are interested in increasing cooperation with Brazil. We are the largest country in Latin America. We have an important role in the field of geopolitics and the world knows that. You know we are going through an economic, social and political crisis and they are very supportive of helping Brazil in these four years.” “, He said.

“In the conversations I’ve had with Germany, the UK, Canada and Norway, in short, all the partners have pointed out and understood that Brazil is the country that can change the paradigm, because it has the best conditions to do so. And people want to see Brazil lead by example.”

Representatives of nearly 200 countries are meeting in Egypt to discuss new commitments to ensure the Paris Agreement’s target of limiting global warming to 1.5°C.

At last year’s summit, COP26, Brazil signed an important agreement on forest protection, which sets a goal of zero global deforestation by 2030. The document stipulates US$19.2 billion in public and private resources for actions related to forest conservation, firefighting, reforestation and land protection. the original people. President Jair Bolsonaro did not attend, and negotiations progressed with the participation of Itamarata diplomats.

But indications show that Brazil is falling short of promises and commitments to control carbon dioxide emissions. The rate of deforestation in the Amazon recorded in 2021 was the highest in 15 years and the number of carbon dioxide emissions from Brazil last year was the highest in 16 years.

Bolsonaro once again chose not to attend COP27. The government is represented by Environment Minister Joachim Leite. But international attention is focused on Lula and his ministers, as evidenced by the agenda of important bilateral meetings that Marina Silva and the president-elect will have this week at COP27.

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