Brazil resumes role as environmental leader, Norwegian minister says

Norwegian Minister of Climate and Environment Espen Barth Eide said on Wednesday (Mar. 22) Brazil is resuming the global leadership it once had in environmental issues. The statement was made during a meeting in Brasilia with Brazilian Minister of Environment and Climate Change Marina Silva.

The two ministers released a joint statement in which they reaffirmed the bilateral partnership on climate and forests, which started in 2008, with the launch of the Amazon Fund, by Brazil, and of the International Climate and Forests Initiative (NICFI), by Norway.

Global Leadership

Barth Eide said to the Brazilian minister that "Brazil has shown global leadership in the past and is doing it again now." According to the Norwegian minister, the international community should spare no effort to mobilize all available tools and resources to partner with the Brazilian government. He reinforced that Norway is "deeply committed to remaining Brazil's close and long-term partner."

Both Barth Eide and Marina Silva advocated for a "rapid operationalization of the resources available in the Amazon Fund to support the critical needs identified by Brazil to reduce deforestation and promote sustainable and inclusive development in the Amazon Region."

Norway will support Brazil in mobilizing additional resources for the Amazon Fund and increasing public and private cooperation, investments, and financing, the minister said.