Right-wing leaders could rule 95% of the Amazon by 2027, experts warn
With 60% of the rainforest hanging in the balance, Brazil’s upcoming election could seal the Amazon's fate.
By 2027, right-wing or far-right parties may govern the majority of the Amazon, warning experts of dire consequences for the world's largest rainforest. Peru, Colombia, Bolivia, and Ecuador have already elected leaders who prioritize agribusiness and mining interests over environmental preservation. Brazil, home to over 60% of the Amazon, may soon face a similar scenario.
In the upcoming October elections, incumbent left-wing President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva faces off against Flávio Bolsonaro, the son of former far-right President Jair Bolsonaro. Flávio Bolsonaro is currently under investigation for an attempted coup d'état, is imprisoned, and ineligible to run for office.
Venezuela, governed by a nominally socialist regime, is under pressure from the U.S. to increase oil production and sign new mining agreements, raising environmental alarms. Collectively, these six countries encompass nearly 95% of the Amazon's territory. Experts warn that the outcome of Brazil's election will have significant implications for the Amazon and other ecosystems, given the younger Bolsonaro's potential to reinstate his father's policies.
Flávio Bolsonaro, the opposition candidate, greets El Salvador's Minister of Justice and Public Security, Hector Gustavo Villatoro, in São Paulo. According to Márcio Astrini, executive secretary of the Climate Observatory, even with a government dedicated to combating deforestation, the challenge remains formidable.
Written by urgent.news from Mongabay's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
