Brazil's Environment Minister Denies Isolation and Sees Progress on the Environmental Agenda - Folha de S.Paulo

After facing attacks and seeing the easing of environmental licensing approved with support from Lula’s (PT) government base, Environment Minister Marina Silva says the environmental agenda is advancing, even amid disagreements.

This agenda has suffered defeats in Congress in recent years, without resistance from the government, and people following the issue believe the minister has been isolated. She disagrees: says there is support and that the Executive is taking action.

"There are a lot of people on the side of environmental protection. The government has acted, even amid contradictions, because we are a broad coalition, responding to the needs of the environmental agenda. Do you think we would have reduced deforestation in Brazil if it weren’t for the government’s effort, involving 19 ministries?" she told Folha.

The minister also commented on stepping down from the Senate’s Infrastructure Committee after being attacked, mainly by Senator Plínio Valério (PSDB-AM).

"It was unacceptable. There was a clear intent to attack the environmental agenda, to intimidate and silence. If I had stayed, I would have become complicit. Stepping away was a political act," she said.