Letter brings together more than 140 in defense of environmental policy – 05/25/2023 – Mônica Bergamo

A group made up of more than 140 civil society organizations will launch this Thursday (25th) a letter in which they present demands for the Brazilian State to combat environmental racism, a concept that deals with the exposure of certain groups to unhealthy environments with little infrastructure. A copy of the document must be delivered to the Ministry of the Environment.

The mobilization will start in the same week that the portfolio headed by Marina Silva faces a series of defeats imposed by the National Congress. On Wednesday (24), the mixed commission that analyzed the Provisional Measure for the reorganization of the Esplanada dos Ministérios proposed changes that, in practice, weaken the government’s environmental policy.

For the communicator Igor Travassos, who is part of the Black Articulation of Pernambuco and the Black Coalition for Rights, the launch of the letter at this moment “demonstrates that civil society, human rights, anti-racist and environmental organizations will continue to guide the strengthening of the Ministry of the Environment Environment and Climate Change”, as well as mechanisms for the preservation of the environment.

“We are experiencing a significant increase in the frequency and intensity of extreme events, which have claimed the lives of thousands of people, and this is also the result of the dismantling of environmental policies”, highlights Travassos.

The letter prepared by the “Anti-racist Adaptation” campaign calls for the 2016 National Adaptation Plan for Climate Change to be updated and effectively implemented, and for the private sector to also be called to climate action.

According to the document, only last year more than 500 Brazilians died as a result of the impacts caused by large volumes of rain, either because of floods or landslides, and that little has been done to prevent episodes like these.

“In general, it is the black population that lives in the sacrifice zones, understood as locations where risk and threat are constant. And here it is important to reinforce the obvious: no person lives in a sacrifice zone because he was chosen as a ideal place to live”, says the letter.

“It is not acceptable for there to be mobilization only in times of tragedy, leaving aside the legal obligation to guarantee a systemic approach to prevention, mitigation, preparation, repair, response and recovery in disasters, with the participation of the most affected populations, in particular the peripheral black population”, he continues.

In addition to the Black Coalition for Rights and the Black Articulation of Pernambuco, the document brings together signatories such as Conectas Human Rights, Front of Evangelicals for the Rule of Law, Tide Setubal Foundation, Greenpeace Brazil, Pólis Institute, Vladimir Herzog Institute, Marcha das Mulheres Negras de São Paulo, Washington Brazil Office, Casa Sueli Carneiro and WWF-Brasil.

“The large volume of water does not justify floods and landslides that lead people to death. and diligence of the private sector towards those who live on the margins of cities and territories”, the letter also says.

Read the full document below:

_{with BIANKA VIEIRA, KARINA MATIAS It is MANOELLA SMITH}

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