Norway on Wednesday said it would support Brazil’s efforts to attract additional donor countries for the Amazon Fund that it helped to set up to fight deforestation and spur sustainable development.
Launched in 2009, the fund was frozen in 2019 by former far-right President Jair Bolsonaro who abolished its governing board and action plans, as he advocated the development of natural resources in the Amazon rainforest. However, it was re-activated by the government of leftist President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva on day one of his latest term in office in January.
“We very much like the model that was developed during the former presidency of Lula and we want to continue to work closely on that path,” Norwegian Minister of Climate and the Environment Espen Barth Eide was quoted as saying after meeting his Brazilian counterpart Marina Silva.
“We are trying to mobilize other donors to come in because we think it has been a very successful model.”
Norway made an initial donation of of $1 billion to the Amazon Fund when it was set up. Germany contributed $300 million.
Acording to Silva, the fund’s resources which currently stand at $500 million has been used for priority tasks in the Amazon, including the expulsion of illegal gold miners from indigenous reservations and restoring the enforcement of environmental protection that had been relaxed by Bolsonaro’s government.
France and Spain are other Eurepean countries that have shown interest in contributing to the Brazilian-administered fund. Britain is also considering donating to the Fund while the United States has signaled its intent to do so.
The Norwegian Embassy in Brasilia said the Norwegian minister visited Colombia before arriving in Brasilia and will on Thursday head to the Amazon state of Para for talks with local people and officials.
Story was adapted from Reuters.
