The election of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva came as a big relief for all concerned about the planet’s future. One of his main pledges was to protect forest and cut carbon emissions – and indeed the rate of deforestation in Brazil’s Amazon fell by a third in the first six months of his term compared with 2022.
Unlike his predecessor, Lula wants Brazil to be a beacon in the fight against global warming. But the powerful lobby that represents agribusiness in Congress has a different view. In May, they pushed through measures to thwart the fight against environmental crimes. It is a clear defeat for the Lula administration – and the world.
