A week after the end of the Climate Leaders Summit, organized by Joe Biden, the US government’s special climate envoy, John Kerry, met this Friday 30 with Brazilian ministers Ricardo Salles (Environment) and Carlos França (Relations exterior). Biden’s aide announced the meeting on his social media and said it served to meet Brazil’s “important new goals” in the climate realm.
“We look forward to continuing to work together to put our world on the path to a safer, more prosperous and more sustainable future,” Kerry wrote.
At the summit last week, President Jair Bolsonaro gave a speech that has caused, at the very least, some strangeness to anyone observing environmental policy considered negligent by his government. The Brazilian president said he had determined the duplication of resources for environmental inspection actions in Brazil, pledged to achieve climate neutrality by 2050 – ten years ahead of the previously set target – and reiterated its pledge to end illegal deforestation by 2030.
The next day, however, he cut funds from the Ministry of the Environment by sanctioning the 2021 budget.
Before hearing about the cut and a few hours after Bolsonaro’s summit speech, Americans called the Brazilian leader’s tone “positive” and “constructive,” enough to follow talks with the Brazilian government, but the collaborators de Biden say Bolsonaro’s support will be credible. based on “solid plans”.
Kerry himself had specifically commented on Bolsonaro’s speech last week, saying the Brazilian surprised him, but wondered if he would keep his promises.
“Some of the comments Bolsonaro made today surprised me. This is great, it works if you do these things. The question is: will they do these things? And how are they going to follow, apply, supervise all of this? Kerry said at a White House press conference.
Americans still demand, behind the scenes, that the rhetoric translate into practical action and that tangible results be seen later this year.
Instead, they celebrate what they see as the Brazilian’s rhetorical moderation. Still according to a State Department spokesperson, achieving carbon neutrality by 2050, ten years before the previous commitment and without preconditions, is significant, as is the commitment to double the funds available for the inspection. .
The optimistic view is advantageous for Biden, who is trying to consolidate himself as a leader in the reconfiguration of global, climate-driven geopolitics, in which Brazil is a key figure. Fulfilling Bolsonaro’s pledge was viewed by the White House as a victory, although Americans expect a more detailed timeline on how the country will meet its goals, which did not appear in the speech. elaborated in the Planalto.
Salles has even asked for US $ 1 billion to pledge to reduce deforestation in the Amazon by up to 40% next year, but Americans say they are only releasing money for the results.