Brazil’s new environment minister, Marina Silva, took office on Wednesday, announcing the creation of a secretariat to curb deforestation.
Silva has assured that the success of her office will be marked by the extinction of the secretariat against deforestation: «When we reach zero deforestation, there will be no need for the Extraordinary Secretariat of Deforestation».
«We want to highlight the priority of what is, perhaps, the greatest global challenge that humanity is currently experiencing,» said the ministerial portfolio holder, referring to the increase in spending on climate issues.
«The Ministry of the Environment (MMA) will recover, strengthen and create institutionalism in favor of a robust and articulated climate governance, so that the issue is addressed with the necessary transversality, with the participation of all government bodies (federal, state and municipal), she assured.
In addition, during his inauguration speech, Silva criticized the environmental policies adopted by the previous Executive, led by former President Jair Bolsonaro. These measures were a «lack of respect for Brazil’s socio-environmental heritage», he said.
«We are going to have an action that respects multilateralism, but we are going to act internally so that Brazil returns, instead of being an environmental pariah, to being the country that will help us to make the agreement with Mercosur, that we can bring investments, that manages to open markets for our products», he said, in reference to the relations to achieve benefits in terms of strategic interests.
Silva, who entered government for the second time on Wednesday, was also a minister during Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s first two terms in office between 2003 and 2008. Years later, Silva has run for the country’s presidency on several occasions.
Source: (EUROPA PRESS)