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Why does Bolsonaro have a point about the Amazon rainforest?
In 2019, when criticised about clearing the Amazon rainforest, Brazilian President, Senhor Jair Bolsonaro declared that “The Amazon is ours. No country in the world has the moral right to talk about the Amazon. You destroyed your own ecosystems.”
We have all watched with growing alarm as they burn the Amazon’s rainforests to clear the land for farming, timber or mining. But he does have a point! We cleared our forests many centuries ago to gain economic value from the land, why shouldn’t the Brazilians do the same?
We look at some alternative approaches to finger-pointing and sanctioning to provide tropical countries with incentives to maintain and regenerate their rainforests.

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Jim Jefcoate
having spent 30 years in the food supply chain i have become very aware of the need for environmental balance. for me the protection of the rainforests is the key to preserving that balance
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This a great message Jim. Whilst the world, quite rightly, is fighting its own battle against Covid19 right now, we must ensure that this sort of debate doesn’t disappear. The likely outcome of the investigation into the outbreak is, partly at least, going to point to the dislocation of wildlife and habitats due to human intervention and destruction in the interests of financial gain. This is not a story, it is based on facts and we have to recognise globally that something has to change. Rather than needing a schoolgirl motivating thousands around the world, let’s hold our own adult leaders to account and make the grown-ups listen too.
Jacqui. Many thanks for the feedback. Your points are very well made. In fact I shall look to incorporate many of them into my next blog.
I will always struggle to agree with Bolsonaro. However it is clear that we need to find a way to support the tropics.
Andrea. Many thanks for your comment. The journey starts here.
Glad to be part of this blog
Glad to have you aboard Donald.
Everything you say makes 100% sense but raises ‘huge’ global issues over which my brain immediately spins and enters into devils advocate mode, a thought process many see as negative but which for me has huge value in helping open up debate and the seeking of solutions! And while ‘sustainability’ has become a dirty word in some quarters it’s something that for me still resonates – not the 3 interlinking circles but the 3 concentric circles with the environment sitting round all, so my big question is where to from here!?
Lindsey, I love the idea of the 3 concentric circles. In fact, I would take it even further and say that they are not 2 dimensional circles but you are looking down on a 3 dimensional cone with the environment at the bottom supporting the social element which itself is supporting the economic element. I think we need to spread the debate as widely as we can and then use innovation to move us forward. For me carbon taxation is the given as it is the necessary stick to start the change in behaviours. But it will be innovation that will be the carrot that will really get the donkey trotting forward.