Lula at COP27: We need each other to survive, alone we are vulnerable.

“This is a historic moment of hope, in a critical time for the planet. We welcome Brazil back as an environmental leader. For Brazil to succeed, we urge heads of state to harness this momentum by supporting Lula in re-establishing environmental agencies that were damaged during Bolsonaro’s government, and investors and business leaders to make sure they cut their links to deforestation,“ says Toerris Jaeger, Executive Director of Rainforest Foundation Norway.

In his speech, Lula also promised that his government will re-establish the agencies and monitoring systems broken over the last few years.

Bolsonaro’s dismantling of environmental agencies, by reducing their mandates, and budgets and replacing personnel, has over the last four years eroded the previous effective protection of the rainforest and its inhabitants.

Although he was received by cheering crowds at COP27 in Egypt, once back in Brazil he is faced with a challenging political climate. To succeed with his political project, Lula will need international support.

“The good news is that the national agencies for protecting the forest and the indigenous groups living there can be built back stronger. With sufficient resources and mandates, they are essential for stopping the destruction and violence on the ground. We must remember that although Lula won the elections, the situation in the forest is the same. The violence against indigenous peoples is intolerable and must be stopped at the first opportunity», says Jaeger.

Dario Kopenawa, representing the Yanomami Indigenous people and one of Rainforest Foundation Norway’s partner organizations, said: “ The election of Lula was a victory for us. He has promised zero deforestation, to protect indigenous people, and remove illegal gold diggers from our territory. He must keep his word. The Yanomami people will hold Lula accountable for what he promised during his campaign”.