Study shows Brazil responds to less than 3% of deforestation alerts
May 4, 2022, 7:40 am

Study shows Brazil responds to less than 3% of deforestation alerts

Amazon rainforest (Photo: Pixabay)

The Anews reported, citing the AFP, an environmental monitor said Tuesday (May 3) president Jair Bolsonaro's government has responded to less than three percent of deforestation alerts, a sign that "impunity reigns" in the destruction of Brazil's forests.

MapBiomas, a consortium that uses satellite images to track the destruction of the Amazon rainforest and other regions in Brazil, said it had launched a new platform to cross-check reported deforestation with government records on fines, arrests and other responses by environmental authorities.

It said that since Bolsonaro took office in January 2019, the federal government had responded to just 2.17 percent of deforestation alerts.

Ana Paula Valdiones of the Center of Life Institute (ICV), one of the groups involved in the platform, said in a statement: "Despite the abundance of information and evidence of environmental crimes, oversight measures from the government are still far short of what's needed to curb deforestation."

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro/Facebook page

MapBiomas said that the cases in which federal authorities responded corresponded to 13.1 percent of the total deforested area from January 2019 to March 2022.

It is the latest awkward news on the environment for Bolsonaro, who has drawn international condemnation for a surge in clear-cutting and fires in the Amazon, a key resource in the race to curb climate change.

African scientists say green future in the continent at stake amid deforestation

Under the far-right president, who has pushed to open protected lands to agribusiness and mining, average annual deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon has increased by more than 75 percent from the previous decade, according to official figures.

Environmental groups accuse the Bolsonaro government of encouraging deforestation with its pro-agribusiness policies and rhetoric, and of turning a blind eye to infractors.

According to the Climate Observatory, a coalition of environmental groups, Brazil's environmental protection agency (Ibama) spent just 41 percent of its allocated policing budget last year.

Climate change causes a huge toll of extreme weather disasters in 2021

The findings from the new MapBiomas platform "show that impunity still reigns when it comes to illegal deforestation in Brazil," said Tasso Azevedo, general coordinator for the consortium of universities, environmental groups and tech companies.

The environment ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Source: anews

76 people arrested after police and Muslim worshippers clash in Addis Ababa Houthis committed 2,158 violations against religious leaders aand mosques in 4 months

BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has announced its sponsorship of the “Innovation and Sustainable Technology Solutions Competition (GU - IST Solutions), hosted by Gulf University at its main campus.
This strategic sponsorship reflects BENEFIT’s active role in advancing technological innovation and fostering sustainable solutions to future challenges. It also seeks to empower Bahraini youth by enhancing their skills, capabilities, and competitiveness in innovation and solution development—contributing meaningfully to the broader goals of sustainable development across all sectors.
As part of BENEFIT’s active involvement in the competition, the company has announced that Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager of Public Relations and Communication, will serve on the competition’s supervisory committee. Her upcoming participation reflects BENEFIT’s forward-looking commitment to championing academic and professional excellence.
Commenting on the occasion, Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager of Public Relations and Communication at BENEFIT, said, “We are privileged to support this pioneering initiative, which aligns seamlessly with BENEFIT’s enduring commitment to fostering innovation and nurturing the potential of Bahrain’s youth. Our participation is rooted in a deep sense of social responsibility and a firm belief in the pivotal role of innovation in shaping a sustainable future. Through such platforms, we seek to empower the next generation with the knowledge, skills, and foresight required to develop impactful solutions that address future challenges, in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 2030.”
Dr. Aseel Al Ayash Dean of the College of Engineering in Gulf University commented, “We extend our sincere gratitude to BENEFIT for their generous sponsorship and support of the Innovation and Sustainable Technology Solutions Competition. This contribution plays an instrumental role in helping us achieve the strategic goals of this initiative, namely, cultivating a culture of innovation and sustainability, encouraging efforts that address the imperatives of sustainable development, and enhancing the practical and professional capabilities of our students and participants.”
The event will bring together a diverse spectrum of participants, including secondary school students, university undergraduates, engineers, industry professionals, entrepreneurs, academic researchers, and subject matter experts representing a wide range of disciplines.
The competition seeks to inspire participants to develop and present innovative, sustainable technologies aimed at addressing pressing environmental, social, and economic challenges. It encourages the formulation of business models that integrate advanced technological solutions with core principles of sustainability. Moreover, it serves as a platform for emerging leaders, entrepreneurs, and innovators to contribute to the advancement of the Sustainable Development Goals, promote the ethos of responsible technology, and demonstrate its transformative potential across various sectors.
Attendees will have the opportunity to view a series of project presentations submitted by participants, covering diverse areas such as eco-friendly product design, smart and sustainable innovations, renewable energy technologies, water conservation and management, waste minimisation and recycling, green architectural solutions, and sustainable transportation systems. Outstanding projects will be formally recognised and awarded at the conclusion of the event.