[NV Greens] Fwd: [usgp-dx] Greens quit Brazil government over Amazon destruction

[Paul Etxeberri]

>
>May 20, 2005
>From: Reuters
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>MEMBERS of Parliament for Brazil's small Green Party quit the 
>Government today to protest against its failure to prevent a 
>near-record rise in destruction of the Amazon rainforest.
>The party said yesterday's government announcement that Amazon 
>deforestation hit its second-highest level last year was the final 
>straw after what it called a string of disastrous environmental 
>policies by President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.
>"This government represents one of the biggest-ever reversals for 
>Brazilian environmental policy," Jovino Candido said. He was one of 
>seven Green Party members in the lower House of Deputies who 
>withdrew support from the ruling coalition in Congress.
>The Green Party has only a tiny fraction of the 513 deputies in the 
>lower house, but its departure marked another political setback for 
>Mr Lula as he tries to rebuild support after a string of defeats.
>
>Brazilian Culture Minister Gilberto Gil, a member of the Green 
>Party, was in Cannes, France, and not immediately available to 
>comment on his plans, a spokesman said.
>Mr Lula entered office in 2003 on high hopes he would control use of 
>threatened Amazon areas and balance needs for environmental 
>protection with economic growth.
>After 28 months in office environmentalists say he has done more to 
>promote dams, roads and farming in the Amazon than halt destruction 
>of the world's largest rainforest, which is home to up to 30 per 
>cent of the world's plant and animal species.
>Environmentalists have applauded Mr Lula's efforts to create vast 
>Amazon reserves to promote sustainable use of timber and land 
>resources but they have criticised his inability to enforce 
>environmental laws protecting the vast jungle.
>Illegal loggers, land speculators and farmers deforested an area of 
>rainforest larger than the US state of New Jersey between 2003 and 
>2004.
>Brazil's soy and beef farmers often move into deforested areas, 
>driven by high global prices and booming demand for their exports.
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>       THE GREEN PARTY OF CONNECTICUT is the third largest political 
>party in CT. The Greens are also the third largest political party 
>in the US, with 220 Greens officeholders in 27 states. Over 80 
>countries in world have Green Parties. Wangari Maathai, the 2004 
>winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, is Kenya's assistant minister for 
>environment and an elected Green Party member.
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-- 
Paul Etxeberri

"Forests precede civilizations and deserts follow"   ---Chateaubriand