Brazil approves $65 million Amazon fund to combat rainforest crimes

Brazil's National Development Bank (BNDES) has given the green signal to allocate 318 million reais ($65 million) from the $1.3 billion Amazon Fund to establish a law enforcement initiative targeting deforestation and environmental crimes in the rainforest, according to a senior official cited by Reuters. 

This marks a significant step for the Amazon Fund, supported by four nations and managed by BNDES. The project, endorsed by the justice ministry and overseen by Brazil's Federal Police, aims to tackle illegal activities threatening the rainforest, such as logging and mining, which persist despite the government's efforts to reduce deforestation. The Amazon, crucial for absorbing carbon and combating global warming, faces ongoing challenges from unauthorised activities. 

Humberto Freire, the Federal Police's director for the Amazon and environmental crime, emphasised the need for collaborative action. "Without us all having the same purpose, integrated, sharing information and intelligence and acting together to strengthen the fight against environmental crimes, we will not move forward," Reuters quoted him as saying. 

Freire, who will attend the UN Climate Change Conference COP28 in Dubai, highlighted the importance of transitioning from rhetoric to concrete actions in the Amazon, necessitating adequate funding.  

The initial allocation from the Amazon Fund will fund the purchase of helicopters and essential equipment. Simultaneously, an International Police Cooperation Centre is set to be established in Manaus by early next year, facilitating collaboration with neighbouring countries' authorities, Freire revealed. 

The law enforcement project, budgeted at 2 billion reais over the next few years, will receive its first disbursement from the Amazon Fund in the coming days. Established in 2008 to promote rainforest preservation, the Amazon Fund initially received contributions from Norway ($1.2 billion), Germany ($89 million), Petrobras ($7.7 million), Switzerland ($5.6 million), and the United States ($3 million).  

Despite a notable reduction in deforestation this year, President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva aims to address environmental challenges that persist, committing to a zero-deforestation target by 2030. 

(With inputs from Reuters) 

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