Dear friends,
As a proud Brazilian, I’m burning with
shame. Often with the blessing of
far-right President Bolsonaro,
gangs of illegal
farmers are burning down swathes of the Amazon
rainforest. Many indigenous people standing in
their way have been murdered.
We have to stop
this insanity. And we
can.
President Bolsonaro is desperate to close
a multimillion-dollar trade deal with the European
Union, but with the forest ablaze, EU leaders are
considering last-minute changes to build Amazon protections
into the deal.
This would force Brazil to clean up its
act to trade with some of the world’s biggest economies.
Let’s not leave the Amazon to burn -- add your name to
call for Europe to act, and when this is huge, we’ll
launch opinion polls and deliver our voices to key decision
makers and the media:
Tell the EU: Don't let the Amazon burn!
Already
major investors and pension funds are
threatening to pull out billions from Brazil unless
there is real action to combat the destruction of the Amazon.
Even Brazilian bankers, leading businesses, and former finance
ministers are joining calls to defend the
forest.
But Bolsonaro’s eyes are squarely on the
trade deal. Many Brazilians like me believe that he needs to
hear a simple message from Europe: no Amazon
protection, no deal. If Europe stands strong, it
would be a gamechanger!
As recent studies confirm, the
EU is part of the problem -- as large quantities of the soy
and beef imported from Brazil may be coming from land that has
been illegally deforested. But now it can and must be part of
the solution.
Germany, France, The Netherlands, and
Belgium have already voiced concerns about Brazil’s Amazon
destruction. Let’s
show they have massive public
support to block the deal if necessary -- add your
name while we still have time.
Tell the EU: Don't let the Amazon burn!
I am so proud of our
global community, and how we have showed up, time and again,
joining hands with Brazilian Avaazers to defend our country’s
rainforests, and more recently to provide food and vital
healthcare materials to indigenous communities on the
frontlines. Let's not give up! The Amazon and its people need
us more than ever.
With hope and
determination,
Diego, Laura, Luis, Patri, Spyro, Ana
Sofia, Aloys and the whole Avaaz team
MORE
INFORMATION:
Amazon tragedy repeats itself as Brazil
rainforest goes up in smoke (The Guardian)
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/sep/02/amazon-fires-brazil-rainforest-bolsonaro-destructionEurope
Can Help Us Save the Amazon (Human Rights Watch)
https://www.hrw.org/news/2020/07/31/europe-can-help-us-save-amazonMerkel:
Amazon deforestation threatens EU-Mercosur deal (Deutsche
Welle)
https://www.dw.com/en/merkel-amazon-deforestation-threatens-eu-mercosur-deal/a-54651194Mercosur
accord contradicts EU Green Deal and fails to protect
communities, study says (Irish Times)
https://www.irishtimes.com/news/environment/mercosur-accord-contradicts-eu-green-deal-and-fails-to-protect-communities-study-says-1.4350923A
fifth of Brazilian soy in Europe is result of deforestation
(The Guardian)
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/jul/16/a-fifth-of-brazilian-soy-in-europe-is-result-of-deforestation-amazon-jair-bolsonaro
