The Brazilian Instituto For Environment and Renewable Natural Resources, commonly known as Ibama, is turning 30 years old this week, feeling the heat from a president skeptical of its work.
For 2019, the agenda at the national level will curb illegal logging, wildlife smuggling, and biopiracy; although the practices are commonly associated with the Amazon rainforest, they happen all over the Brazilian territory.
In a state level, problems differ. In the Amazon states, the main issue is illegal logging. Between 2017 and 2018, the forest lost 2,800 square miles, the highest annual rate in the last ten years, according to Inpe (Brazil's National Institute of Space Research).
In São Paulo, the problems include overfishing along the coast, illegal production and use of pesticides and smuggling of old tires.
As the Bolsonaro administration starts its second month, Ibama waits on standby mode. Leadership has changed twice already; now the department's head is Eduardo Bim, who worked before in the General Attorney's office.
Ibama is arguably Bolsonaro's least favorite government agency since he received a fine in 2012 for being caught fishing in a federally protected area in Angra dos Reis (RJ) in 2012.
The president then accused Ibama of fining indiscriminately, accused environmental inspectors of malice and described environmental permit procedures as too harsh.
Translated by NATASHA MADOV