RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Following president Jair Bolsonaro’s assertion that the fires in the Amazon “may have been triggered by NGOs that have lost money,” 118 non-governmental organizations wrote a joint letter rejecting the president’s speech and arguing that the increase in fires is due to actions by the government itself.
“The president must act responsibly and prove what he is saying, rather than drawing irresponsible and inconsequential conclusions by repeating the attempted criminalization of the organizations, manipulating public opinion against the work done by civil society,” the statement said.
Bolsonaro made those accusations on Wednesday, August 21st, providing no evidence to support his argument.
His environment minister, Ricardo Salles, also commented on the subject. According to the official, the fires in the Amazon are “environmental sensationalism” and are related to fake news.
“While the government explains the flexibility of environmental policies as required to improve the economy, the reality is that while emissions explode, the increase in GDP is approaching zero,” argue the NGOs.
Read the full note
Fire outbreaks throughout Brazil have increased by 82 percent since the beginning of this year, to a total of 71,497 recorded by INPE, of which 54 percent occurred in the Amazon.
Faced with this scandalous scenario, Bolsonaro has claimed that his “feeling” is that “NGOs are behind” the spread of fires in order to “send messages abroad”.
The increased burning is not an isolated fact. In his short period of government, deforestation, the invasion of parks and indigenous lands, the illegal and predatory exploitation of natural resources and the murder of leaders of traditional, indigenous and environmental communities have also increased.
Concurrently, Bolsonaro has dismantled and undermined environmental monitoring, issued numerous statements encouraging the predatory takeover of the Amazon and criminalizing those who defend its conservation.
The increase in deforestation and fires also represents an increase in Brazilian greenhouse gas emissions, thereby distancing the country from complying with the goals undertaken in the Paris Agreement.
While the government justifies the flexibility of environmental policies as required for the improvement of the economy, the reality is that while emissions explode, the increase in GDP is close to zero.
The president must act responsibly and prove what he is saying, rather than drawing irresponsible and inconsequential conclusions by repeating the attempted criminalization of the organizations, manipulating public opinion against the work done by civil society.
Bolsonaro does not need NGOs to scorch the image of Brazil throughout the world.