|
The United States has been holding talks with
Brazil since February on a potential collaboration to stop
surging destruction of the Amazon rainforest, although Brazil's
environment minister told Reuters no deal would be ready for
this week's U.S. Earth Day summit organized by Biden.
Amazon deforestation has skyrocketed under right-wing Bolsonaro,
who has weakened environmental protections and called for
development of the rainforest.
Indigenous and environmental groups say that any deal with the
Bolsonaro government risks legitimizing a Brazilian
administration that is encouraging environmental destruction and
human rights violations.
"We urge your Administration to hear their call and not commit
to any agreements with Brazil at this time," the celebrities
said on Tuesday in an open letter addressed to Biden.
Bolsonaro's office and a representative of the Biden
administration did not immediately respond to request for
comment.
The signatories also include actors Joaquin Phoenix, Mark
Ruffalo, Rosario Dawson, Uzo Aduba, Sigourney Weaver, Jane
Fonda, Alec Baldwin and Orlando Bloom as well as musicians
Caetano Veloso and Philip Glass.
"We join a growing coalition... in urging your administration to
reject any deal with Brazil until deforestation is reduced,
human rights are respected, and meaningful participation by
civil society is met," the letter said.
It urged Biden to hold dialogues with Brazilian state and local
governments, indigenous and civil society about possible
solutions for the Amazon before making commitments or
bankrolling new initiatives.
Deforestation in Brazil's portion of the Amazon surged to a
12-year high in 2020, with an area 14 times the size of New York
City being destroyed, government data showed.
(Reporting by Jake Spring; Additional reporting by Valerie
Volcovici; Editing by Marguerita Choy)
[© 2021 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.] Copyright 2021 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Thompson Reuters is solely responsible for this content
|
|
