Brazil Allows Some Illegal Deforestation?

Following-up my post about deforestation and shade-grown coffee, I came across this gem in the Economist:

Brazil’s government pledged to cut the amount of illegal deforestation in the Amazon over the next decade to 5,000 sq km (1,930 square miles) a year, or less than half the current rate. This followed the release of data showing that 12,000 sq km were cut down in the 12 months to July, an increase of almost 4% on the previous year but down from a record 27,000 sq km in 2003-04.

The Economist

I did a double-take and had to read that again.  Is it just me or does this blurb implies that the Brazilian government does, in fact, allow some illegal deforestation?  Brazil does not have ther resources to stop illegal deforestation in its tracks, so setting a future goal makes a certain amount of sense.  Still, Brazil’s crackdown seems weak, especially in the face impending climate change of doom.  Brazil, I think, recognizes that a lot of its economy is stimulated by this illegal activity.  Therefore, the government is giving the perpetrators a good head start–a whole decade’s worth.  I don’t think we can wait ten years.  The future of biodiversity and climate change depends on those trees now.

December 8, 2008  Tags: ,   Posted in: Politics

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