Brazil Will Lose at Least US$ 50 Million of Norwegian Aid to the Amazon

06/23/2017 - 12h01

Brazil will lose at least R$ 166.5 million (US$ 50.5 million) of the aid given by Norway this year due to the recent increase in deforestation in the Amazon.

The calculation for the donation is based on results - the smaller the deforested area, the bigger the donation. To reach this value, the Ministry of the Climate and Environment uses a reference level of defrosted square kilometers.

With the 29% increase registered between August 2015 and July 2016, 7,989 square kilometers of forest were destroyed, close to the reference ceiling, which will be updated this year and is likely to reach 8,325 square kilometers.

This number will lead to a reduction of at least 50% in payments this year.

Last year, the total received by Brazil was R$ 333 million (US$ 100 million).

The donation goes to the Amazon Fund, managed by the Brazilian Development Bank (BNDES), which finances projects to fight deforestation and promote sustainable development. Since 2009, Norway has donated R$ 2.77 billion (US$ 840 million) - 97% of the total.

The issue was discussed by Norway's Minister of Climate and Environment, Vidar Helgesen, and his Brazilian colleague, Sarney Filho, in Oslo.

Sarney Filho blamed the Dilma Rousseff administration for the increase and said he managed to recover the budget of the inspection agencies.

Translated by THOMAS MUELLO

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	Avener Prado/Folhapress
	Aerial view of the Jamanxim National Forest