Bolsonaro's finalized his plan for the Amazon right before the World Economic Forum in Davis, Switzerland. The government wanted to alleviate investor doubts about the government's inaction in forest preservation.
Both the council to be chaired by Vice President Hamilton Mourão and the reactivation of the CBA (Amazon Biotechnology Center)—
announced on the days of the forum—lack deadlines, structure, clear objectives, and funds, according to the authorities involved.
Still hollow, official hacked together the plans after the Brazilian government was surprised by the fact that the environmental issue was a vertex of the event in Davos.
In an attempt to respond to criticisms of his environmental policy, President Jair Bolsonaro, who did not attend the meeting in the Swiss Alps, announced from Brazil the creation of the Amazon Council after the topic was discussed at a ministerial meeting.
Until the publication of this report, however, the decree regulating the council was not published in the Federal Official Gazette. The expectation is that this will happen next week. "The decree is in the hands of the president and he is finalizing it," said Mourão.
The president also announced the creation of the National Environmental Force, which is still under study, according to Mourão.
The technical team of the Ministry of Justice and Public Security is analyzing the topic, and Minister Sergio Moro should meet with Mourão to define format and deadline.
The idea is for a police contingent similar to that of the National Security Force, but with environmental police assigned by state governments.
As the process depends on the federative units, even the most optimistic government members find it unlikely that the National Environmental Force will start to act effectively in the forest until May, a month before the drought period, when the risk of burning increases.
Translated by Kiratiana Freelon