On a meeting with the Brazilian Minister of Environment Carlos Minc in Cuiabá, Mato Grosso, the governors of the Amazonian Federal States declared today that foreign countries should pay both small farmers and great land owners of the region for the preservation of the Amazonian Rain Forest. Governor Ivo Cassol from Rond�nia suggested for example a special fee of 20 per cent of the tickets for the World Cup 2014 for all foreigners to be paid into a Environment Conservation Fund.
There was also Governor Blairo Maggi from Mato Grosso, one of the biggest soy planter worldwide and whom Minister Minc had accused recently of planning to plant soy even in the Andes. Now Minc wants to make ecological peace with Maggi offering partnership on a series of issues. The politicians argued for a financial compensation of the farmers if they would do something for the environment refraining from deforestation and therefore also from the extension of new arable areas. According to the Governors this would be the ideal formula of merging economic growth and ecological sustainability.
The declarations were made on the 14th Katoomba Meeting, an international meeting of politicians, scientists and environmentalists who will discuss until tomorrow the introduction of instruments for the reduction of clear cutting and the greenhouse gas emissions. An important new instrument, resumed under the abbreviation REDD (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation) consists of a set of suggestions for the creation of an international law framework in which Amazonia could be financially compensated with international funds for the protection of its forests. Already devasteted areas could be reforested and intact regions preserved.
Governor Maggi said, the REDD mechanism would be exactly what Mato Grosso needs. The environment would have to be of value if it should not be damaged. Amazonas Governor Eduardo Braga said the rich countries should finance the preservation of the forests since they are the main responsible party for the emissions. Minister Minc announced the start of projects to protect and reforest selected Amazon regions which will be financed by the Amazon Fund, Fundo da Amazonia, created in 2007. However the fund has received only a unique contribution up to now, 130 millions US$ from Norway.