The Lula government is considering decreeing a permanent climate emergency in a thousand cities

Brazilian Minister of Environment and Climate Change Marina Silva said this Sunday (26) that the government of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva is internally debating the creation of a decree to recognize a permanent state of climate emergency in more than a thousand municipalities mapped as vulnerable to the effects of climate change.

“There is a suggestion that is being debated within the government for a permanent state of climate emergency to be declared in the municipalities that are proven to be vulnerable so that there can be continued action,” said the minister.

Marina also said that science could predict extreme events, whether drought or heavy rains, and that sometimes, even the population will have to be removed from risk areas.

According to the minister, the purpose of the permanent emergency decree is to allow preventive works, such as soil studies, drainage, and social assistance work, to be advanced.

“Besides emergencies, there are the prevention projects – medium and long-term projects,” she said.

“We are living under the effect of climate change, which is getting worse every day.”

To avoid criticism about the lack of transparency in public spending that an emergency entails, such as hiring companies without bidding, the minister proposed the creation of a permanent structure to oversee the application of resources.

This structure would be formed by committees, monitoring teams, and academics.

With information from Revista Oeste

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