Brazil cuts environment spending one day after U.S. climate summit pledge
April 23, 2021
8:56 PM CDT
Jake Spring
3 minutes read
Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro approved a 24% cut to the environment budget for 2021 from last year's level, according to official numbers published on Friday, just one day after he vowed to increase spending to fight deforestation.
Speaking on Thursday to the summit organized by U.S. President Joe Biden, Bolsonaro pledged to double the budget for environmental enforcement and end illegal deforestation by 2030.
The U.S. government applauded those targets, part of a shift in tone by the far-right leader, although many environmentalists said they would not take the rhetoric seriously before seeing real progress.
Less than 24 hours later, Bolsonaro signed off on the 2021 federal budget that included 2 billion reais ($365.30 million) for the Environment Ministry and agencies it oversees, down from 2.6 billion initially approved last year, according to the official government gazette. Spending can be adjusted over the course of the year.
More:
https://www.reuters.com/business/environment/brazil-cuts-environment-spending-one-day-after-us-climate-summit-pledge-2021-04-23/
