Temer: Norway's contributions to the Amazon Fund help prevent deforestation

Norway's contributions into the Amazon Fund enables the administration to carry out  anti-deforestation patrolling “more effectively”, President Michel Temer said after talks with Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg, as he heard Norway was going to cut its $400 million annual aid to the fund.

Currently, the fund helps maintain 89 projects in such areas as deforestation control, land legalization, and territorial and environmental management of indigenous land.

Following a meeting with the Norwegian Prime Minister, Temer told journalists environmental issues were at the center of talks with Norwegian authorities, and the possibility of a cut in the aid to the Amazon Fund was discussed. Temer said “both the Prime Minister and the President of the Norwegian Parliament, Olemic Thommessen, made clear these aspects were being revised.”

In a speech, Temer highlighted his government's actions for the environment, and said he and the Norwegian prime minister had a “very frank and open exchange” on global issues, noting that the environment will be a central issue even at the G20 meeting.

He said Brazil has done a lot to avoid deforestation and noted that his government recently expanded the area of certain national parks and more recently vetoed “measures that greatly expanded areas prone to deforestation.”

Translated by Mayra Borges