FROM INTERNATIONAL WILDLIFE COALITION/RAN
BRAZILIAN ATLANTIC FOREST, THREATENED AGAIN
"TIMBER-ADVOCATE' MINISTER PUSHES TO WEAKEN ITS PROTECTION
Dear friends,
As you may know, one of the most meaningful results of Jos
Lutzenberger's term as Secreatsary of the Environment of Brazil
was the issuance and enforcement of Presidential Decree n0. 99,547
of September 1990 which forbids all cutting and exploitation of
the remaining Atlantic Forest areas.
Reduced to less than 5% of its original size, this
invaluable ecosystem got actual relief with the enforcement of
this Decree. Not only timber extraction- which was being carried
out already in steep hillsides due to the exhaustion of lowland
areas was halted, but several other "development" initiatives that
threatened the remnants of forest were curtailed. Whenever the
authorities dragged their feet on enforcement (as the current
Environment Minister does), NGO's cooperated with Public Attorneys
to use the Decree against illegal acts.
Now even this fragile but vital protection is under threat
from... THE ENVIRONMENT MINISTER! Senator Coutinho Jorge,
appointed by current President Itamar Franco due to political
pressures as Environment Minister, has a long story of lobbying in
Congress for the interests of the timber industry, being specially
involved in advancing the cause of mahogany exporters. Now
unbelievably in charge of Brazilian environmental policy, he has
not only frozen all federal efforts for conservation, but he is
actively working for the "revision" of the Atlantic Forest
Protection Decree. He has just submitted to the President a
proposed "new version" of the Decree which is absolutely hidden
from the general public but that, according to the press, will
allow re-opening of timber extraction and other consumption uses
of the very few remaining Atlantic Forest tracts, all under the
disgusting guise of "sustainable development." Doesn't matter
that there are no studies at all about the alleged sustainability
of such uses; all that matter right now are the economic interests
of Coutinho Jorge's political allies in the timber industry.
PLEASE HELP US STOP THIS SHAME! There's still time to
convince the President that the Atlantic Forest should be
protected at all costs. Please fax Dr. Itamar Franco, President
of Brazil, at (55)(61)321-1461 opposing any weakening of Decree
99,547 and urging a review on the manner Senator Coutinho Jorge
runs the Ministry of the Environment.
Written by Jose Truda Palazzo Jr. Project Coordinator for
International Wildlife Coalition Brazil Chapter For more
updated details, please call (5548) 222-7379
Transmitted with the permission of IWC.