Marina is moved by Greta and brings homework from Davos – 01/19/2023 – Environment

Minister Marina Silva (Environment) ended this Thursday (19) her participation in the World Economic Forum, in Davos, with a brief contribution on a panel on the Amazon, which she left applauded, and a meeting with a group of young environmental activists from the which is part of the Swedish Greta Thunberg – a meeting that she says moved her.

“It was a group of young women who were very determined, very committed, and who are creating a positive impact on the agenda to combat deforestation, the emission of CO_two and protecting the balance of the planet,” Marina told Brazilian journalists.

“Obviously I remembered when I started this fight at 17, when I met Chico Mendes, and it’s great to see that we already have a third generation of activists.”

For Marina, the difference is that she did it in isolation, from the forest, “protecting the forest with our own bodies” (Chico Mendes was murdered because of his activism). “Now they have a technology that makes impacts [do ativismo] global.”

The minister received a letter from the group — the same one delivered to the director of the International Energy Agency, Fatih Birol, in which they ask for an end to the use of fossil fuels. In addition to Greta, the document was signed by Ecuadorian Helena Gualinga —the only official participant in this year’s forum—, Nigerian Vanessa Nakate and German Luisa Neubauer.

Marina stated that the activists’ claim should be taken seriously by world leaders, as there is a generational depression about the future. “This is a charge for all of us, companies, governments, citizens, and we have to feel ethically constrained, because what is at stake is the future of these youth.”

During the event, the minister had three appointments with the representative of the US government for the climate, John Kerry, who should go to Brazil in February, before the visit of president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) to the United States, scheduled for the 10th of that month.

The two spoke of commitments and cooperation – at the last meeting of the forum, in May, Kerry urged Brazil under the government of Jair Bolsonaro (PL) to do more for environmental protection. One of the scopes of an eventual alliance is the preservation of forests, in a group that would also include Indonesia and DRC (Democratic Republic of Congo), countries also with vast tropical vegetation and economic dilemmas.

Marina participated in the forum along with her colleague Fernando Haddad (Finance), and the two showed a very aligned speech. The minister underlined the economic concern and the need for joint agendas with other ministries, especially Agriculture, in most of her statements, while the head of the Treasury highlighted the environmental commitment to economic growth and the country’s position in the production chain as a clean energy pole.

Considered a reference in the area at the event, the minister also met with leaders of multilateral organizations, non-governmental organizations for environmental protection, executives, investors and philanthropists with the aim of not only selling Brazil’s commitment to the so-called green agenda, but also raising funds to promote it.

Faced with expectations, Marina also stressed the need for Brazil to act, not just speak, to do its “homework” —perhaps the most repeated expression in the forum when talking about environmental preservation.

For this, according to her, the country will have to eliminate deforestation, show commitment to the targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions set by the Paris Agreement, protect indigenous populations, eradicate organized crime and its arms in prospecting and logging, and this in an economically viable way.

_{The Planeta em Transe project is supported by the Open Society Foundations.}