SoylentNews is people
SoylentNews
from the fiddling-while-the-Amazon-burns dept.
Brazil Says It Will Reject Millions in Amazon Aid Pledged at G7
Hours after leaders of some of the world's wealthiest countries pledged more than $22 million to help combat fires in the Amazon rainforest, Brazil's government angrily rejected the offer, in effect telling the other nations to mind their own business — only to later lay out potential terms for the aid's acceptance.
President Jair Bolsonaro of Brazil expressed his ire in a series of Twitter posts on Monday, and specifically criticized and taunted President Emmanuel Macron of France, who had announced the aid package at the Group of 7 summit meeting. Their comments extended a verbal feud between the two leaders.
But early the next day, Mr. Bolsonaro offered possible terms for the acceptance of the aid package when he spoke to reporters in the capital, Brasília.
He said that if Mr. Macron withdrew "insults made to my person," and what Mr. Bolsonaro interpreted as insinuations that Brazil does not have sovereignty over the Amazon, he would reconsider.
(Score: 2) by Coward, Anonymous on Wednesday August 28 2019, @10:15PM
I'm not outraged, just pointing out European hypocrisy, which was the point of the original reforestation quote. On their way to achieving their current standard of living, Europeans cut down most of their forests. And they are buying a lot of chopped up wood to burn in power plants.
I support green forests and biodiversity, but wouldn't deny some poor Brazilians the right to improve their lot. Of course indigenous rights also should be respected.
Presumably, both sides drove a hard bargain for this free trade agreement. The thing that seems to have changed now is EU demands. We'll see if the EU can make them stick.