Guest essay by Eric Worrall

President Bolsonaro in Brazil, who is frequently described in mainstream media as the Latin American Trump, has upset greens by slashing the Brazilian budget for climate action and forestry.

Brazil slashes budget to fight climate change as deforestation spikes

Mauricio Angelo

BRASILIA (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – Efforts to keep the Amazon rainforest standing and reduce Brazil’s planet-warming emissions are being hampered by budget cuts for the country’s environmental watchdog and its main climate change programme, researchers have said. 

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For January to May 2019, the amount allocated was R$17.4 million ($3.24 million), against R$5.3 million so far in 2020, according to figures provided by the Institute of Socioeconomic Studies (INESC), a non-profit organisation that has analysed Brazil’s public budget for more than 30 years. 

Funding for activities under Brazil’s national climate change plan has also been cut, from R$436 million for 2019 to R$247 million for 2020, a drop of more than 40%, INESC research showed. 

The climate plan, led by the environment ministry, is aimed at meeting Brazil’s international commitment under the 2015 Paris Agreement to cut its greenhouse gas emissions by 37% from 2005 levels by 2025 and an “intended reduction” of 43% by 2030.

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Read more: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-brazil-deforestation-climate-change-a/brazil-slashes-budget-to-fight-climate-change-as-deforestation-spikes-idUSKBN2392LC

Greens repeatedly assure us that renewables are cheaper than coal, so simple economics should be enough to drive progress, right?