General

Minister denounces reduction in environmental supervision in Brazil

In 2008, Ibama had 1,700 inspectors, but presently there are only 700

Agência Brasil

Published on 18/04/2023 - 08:54

Brasília

Brazil’s Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Marina Silva, announced on Monday (Apr. 17) that she has observed a significant reduction in environmental supervision in the country.

"During a seminar on the rights of indigenous peoples at the Superior Court of Justice, Minister Silva stated that the Brazilian Institute for the Environment and Renewable Natural Resources (Ibama) currently has only 700 agents to enforce environmental law nationwide, a drastic reduction from the 1,700 inspectors it had in 2008 when she previously headed the ministry. Upon reassuming the ministry this year, Silva discovered the number had dropped to 700."

During the first three months of the current Brazilian government, there was a 133% increase in the number of seizures and a 219% rise in environmental fines compared to the same period in the previous government, Silva explained.