I will provide both English and Portuguese versions of these two blogs. The translations were done by Google and likely contain errors. I would strongly recommend the two links listed below.
In about 10 days, Brazilians will go to the poll and elect either Jair Bolsonaro or Fernando Haddad. I fear Bolsonaro will follow down the same path of Donald Trump, as a destroyer of international cooperative agreements. I fear Brazilians do not fully understand the vital role their country plays in global warming and the absolute necessity for aggressive governmental policies to protect the Amazon.
Because of Donald Trump’s terrible record on environmental protection, I hope my country can find a new leader in year 2020. Donald Trump never apologizes for his misguided policies. He lies constantly, and exaggerates their success.
The US in the last century endured starvation in the 1930’s during an economic depression and then a horrific world war, where 60 million people around the world died. This was my parent’s world. From the ashes of war, came a new cooperative international spirit, which is best exemplified by the creation of the United Nations. Trump has weaken the UN. Bolsonaro will follow Trump.
The UN was designed to settle disputes among nations. One of the greatest achievements of the UN was the ratification of the Iran Nuclear Pact, which subjected the country of Iran to thorough inspections of its facilities in exchange for the lifting of sanctions. The US will soon be in direct violation of this agreement.
The UN Paris Climate Accord was a major breakthrough in international recognition on global warming as a threat to our planet. Brazil is a vital partner in halting the deforestation of the Amazon. It shares this responsibility with Peru, Columbia, Venezuela and Ecuador.
Jair Bolsonaro has little interest in building the bonds of cooperation, and working through the UN in this effort. Per the New York Times:
In the Amazon, illegal loggers, miners, land-grabbers, as well as large land owners have rallied to his banner. Here, they don’t expect Bolsonaro to enforce the law. On the contrary, the hope is that he fulfils his promise to obliterate nearly all environment and pro-indigenous legislation. He won massive support in rural central western states and all but one Amazonian state.
In August, Bolsonaro raised concerns internationally when he pledged to join Trump’s US and withdraw Brazil from the Paris agreement. That means the country would no longer be committed to curb its emissions from the deforestation of the Amazon, which is here a bigger source of greenhouse gas than the burning of fossil fuels.
Brazil can of course still insist that the US auto emissions are to blame, or India’s burning of coal. In the end, global warming is disastrous for the entire planet, just as World War 2 was. We are one planet.
Stay tuned,
Dave
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