Norway to resume halted aid to Brazil for Amazon forests amid Lula's election victory

LONDON

Norway will resume its Amazon payments to Brazil following Inacio Lula da Silva's victory in presidential elections, the country's environment minister told local media on Monday.

In 2019, the Nordic country halted Amazon protection subsidies worth $33 million, accusing outgoing President Jair Bolsonaro of turning his back on the fight against deforestation.

The Norwegian Environmental Minister Espen Barth Eide told local news agency NTB that his government will contact Lula's team to resume halted aid during the transition period.

"We want to talk to his people so that they can take care of formalities and to put a management structure in place. "There are significant sums that are frozen in the Amazon Fund, which can be paid quickly," Barth Eide told NTB.

After Bolsonaro came to power in 2019, deforestation in the Brazilian part of the Amazon has increased sharply, he added.

Bolsonaro ignored the climate concerns at the time allowing agriculture and other business activities in rainforest areas.

In 2019, Norway together with Germany, withdrew financial aid promised for forest protection, accusing the country of breaking the agreement after it suspended the board of directors and the technical committee of the Amazon Fund.

Norway was the biggest donor, giving almost $830 million to the forest protection fund since it was initially created 11 years ago.

"There has been a sharp increase in deforestation under Bolsonaro, which has been very worrying. Everyone who is concerned with climate change has painfully seen how he has completely ignored old agreements and promises," Barth Eide told the news outlet.

Lula, who was the country's president in 2003-2010 won his third term with nearly 51% of the vote against 49% of Bolsonaro in the second round of a deeply divisive presidential runoff election on Sunday.

He promised that Brazil will fight the climate crisis, especially for the Amazon rainforest, setting a goal of zero deforestation.

"This is an important day, this is good for Brazil, but also for the whole world," said Barth Eide.

World leaders are expected to meet on Sunday in Egypt at a climate summit, COP27, that Bolsonaro will be attending on behalf of Brazil.