Germany’s Package to Brazil to Protect Amazon Forests

Germany’s Package to Brazil to Protect Amazon Forests

 

 

The package announced by German Chancellor Olaf Schulz during his visit to Brazil includes green energy and forest restoration measures. The chancellor also welcomed ‘Brazil’s return to the world stage’

 

 

German Chancellor Olaf Schulz pledged about $215 million to help Brazil protect the Amazon rainforest during a visit to Brazil’s capital Brasilia on Monday, January 30.

 

 

On this occasion, the German chancellor also said that he is very happy with Brazil’s return to the world stage. The visit and statements come just weeks after Brazil’s new president, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, was sworn in.

 

German Chancellor Olaf Schulz is visiting Brazil after visiting South American countries like Chile and Argentina.

 

What’s in the Amazon Package?

The aid package also includes a new fund of 31 million euros to Brazilian states to protect the Amazon forests. The German Development Ministry says around 93 million euros will be spent on reforestation projects.

 

 

Germany and Norway froze funds worth about 35 million euros under former president Jair Bolsonaro, which have now been reactivated.

 

Under this package, funds have also been earmarked for renewable energy and energy efficiency measures and reforestation programmes. Speaking in the capital Brasília, German Chancellor Schulz said Brazil had an important role to play in “advancing the world’s green energy transition”.

 

Shortly before the German chancellor’s arrival, German Development Minister Svena Schulz announced that after “difficult years,” Berlin would make additional funds available to protect the Amazon. “Brazil is the lungs of the world,” he said in Brasilia. If he has a problem, we all have to help him

Brazil’s former Bolsonaro regime saw a significant increase in deforestation and fires in the Amazon. During his four years in power, deforestation increased by 59.5 percent, which was significantly higher than the previous four years.

 

What else did the German chancellor say?

 

The German Chancellor said that the Berlin government wants immediate progress on the free trade agreement between the European Union and Mercosur.

 

Schulz said that Lula and Brazil can count on the country’s unity. The German chancellor’s visit comes weeks after supporters of former president Jair Bolsonaro stormed government buildings in Brasilia.

 

On the other hand, former President Bolsonaro has requested to extend his tourist visa to stay longer in the US.

 

The German chancellor said that Berlin and Brasilia have the same position on most issues and both governments have condemned the Russian attack on Ukraine.

 

While voting in the UN General Assembly, Brazil voted to condemn the Russian attack on Ukraine, but did not join the West in imposing sanctions on Moscow.

 

Lula de Silva, when asked about sending tank ammunition for Ukraine’s use, said Brazil was not interested.

 

“Brazil is a peace-loving country and that’s why it doesn’t want any kind of intervention in this war, not even indirectly,” he said, urging Russia and Ukraine to talk. Till now the word peace has been used very little.

 

The German chancellor said, “There can be no peace with the heads of the Ukrainians, which is why we have always said that the condition for peace talks is that Russia withdraws its troops.”