In Brazil, a new law could soon be passed that will further promote the destruction of the rainforest. A number of European supermarket chains are now threatening to boycott products from Brazil – including Aldi Süd, Lidl and Metro.
In an open letter signed by 41 companies, leading European supermarket chains and food producers express “extremely concerned” about a Brazilian bill. This could retrospectively legalize the land grabbing of rainforest areas by farmers.
It is the second open letter in which companies have asked members of the Brazilian Congress to reject the bill. This would, it said in the first letter a year ago, in their eyes “further land grabbing and widespread deforestation”. The latest version of the law means “potentially even greater threats to the Amazon” is in the new letter.
Law could endanger the Amazon
The letter was signed by the well-known British supermarket chains Tesco, Marks & Spencer and Sainsbury, but also by Aldi Süd, Lidl, Metro and Migros and Co-op from Switzerland.
They write:
“We would like to emphasize once again that we consider the Amazon to be a vital part of the Earth system that
which is essential for the security of our planet. “
The planned decree could endanger this ecosystem and thus also the achievement of the goals of the Paris Climate Agreement and undermine the rights of indigenous communities.
The undersigned companies are still ready to work with Brazilian producers, “in a way that the
supports economic development while at the same time respecting the rights of indigenous peoples and traditional communities. ”The protection of ecosystems must be ensured.
An overt threat follows: “However, if this or any other measure that undermines these existing safeguards becomes law, we will have no choice but to support and use Brazilian agriculture
Rethink the supply chain. “
Legalize land grabbing and deforestation
The decree is before the Brazilian Congress for a vote. He could retrospectively legalize the illegal logging and appropriation of public land before 2018 – exactly any practice that repeatedly causes devastating destruction in the rainforests of the Amazon region.
In Brazil, the law is highly controversial. Proponents argue that legalizing land use is important to force owners to comply with environmental laws. Environmentalists: on the other hand, criticize that the law rewards land speculation and illegal deforestation and, as it were, invites people to cut down even more forests and colonize public land.
According to the news agency Reuters The Brazilian NGO Imazon estimates that the decree would accelerate the deforestation of 11,000 to 16,000 square kilometers. That would roughly correspond to the area of Thuringia.
In the shadow of the Corona crisis, the (largely illegal) deforestation in the Amazon has already deteriorated dramatically. In 2020, around 10 percent more forest was cut down than in 2019 and as much as not since 2008. In total, an estimated 11,000 square kilometers of Amazon rainforest were lost in 2020, one calculated study.
Brazil boycott: is that enough?
Utopia says: During the devastating Amazon fires in 2019, some well-known fashion brands boycotted leather from Brazil. The fact that retail chains are reacting to such massive environmental threats and using their power to demand improvements is generally to be welcomed.
However, it would suit the big supermarket chains if they otherwise made their product selection and sources of supply more sustainable. Only when the large corporations operate in a more environmentally and socially responsible manner can something change in the long term.
In addition, it is questionable whether a general boycott of goods from Brazil really helps the population there or should better be aimed at those companies that are actually connected with land grabbing and deforestation.
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