In the heart of the Indian Ocean, there is a hidden underwater bank
teeming with life. The Saya de Malha Bank is part of the Mascarene
Plateau, a continuous shallow ridge connecting Seychelles in the north
to Mauritius and Réunion in the south.
Curious creatures such as pygmy blue whales breed in the area and the
deep waters surrounding the bank are rich in nutrients, supporting
sperm whales, flying fish and tuna. But the bank can be difficult to get
to that observations and studies of this life are few, and from long
ago.
The Saya de Malha Bank is known for supporting the world’s largest
seagrass meadow – and therefore one of the biggest carbon sinks in the
ocean. Seagrass meadows account for less than 0.2% of the world’s
oceans, but take up approximately 10% of the carbon buried
in ocean sediment each year. On one hectare, seagrasses can store up to
twice as much carbon as terrestrial forests. By keeping carbon safely
locked in the seabed, seagrass meadows help slow down climate breakdown.
Worldwide, they are critical feeding and breeding grounds to a wealth
of wildlife from the easy-going dugong to sleek tiger sharks and a
colourful assemblage of fish.
Governments around the world have recognized Saya de Malha as an Ecologically and Biologically Significant Area.
The seabed is under shared governance of Seychelles and Mauritius,
while the water flowing through the seagrass meadows is international
waters.
The Greenpeace ship Arctic Sunrise has been at the Saya de Malha Bank to map and research the wildlife of the region
with an international team of scientists. With the help of binoculars
and hydrophones, they’ve been looking for whales, sharks, seabirds and
turtles. The team also collected water samples for environmental DNA
monitoring. This novel method helps trace fish, sharks and whales by the
skin, poo, scales and other stuff they leave behind. Mapping animals by
their traces complements the visual and acoustic surveys by detecting
species that are elusive, prefer the depths of the ocean, or are
otherwise not easy to spot.
The global oceans are under unprecedented pressure – and this region
is no exception. For example, shark populations in the global oceans
have declined by a staggering 71% in
just a few decades. Long lines studded with hundreds of hooks, or
enormous purse seine nets, often ensnare sharks as bycatch, and their
use has doubled in the last half century, while the number of oceanic
sharks caught in them has approximately tripled. We urgently need a vast
network of ocean sanctuaries, free from destructive human activity,
where sharks and other marine life can recover. During our voyage to the
Indian Ocean, we will show what’s at stake and call on governments
around the world to agree on a strong Global Ocean Treaty.
Laura Meller is an Ocean policy advisor with Greenpeace Nordic.
Urgente: presidente do Senado incluiu PL da Grilagem na pauta desta
quarta-feira, na surdina, sem debate. Pressione para que ele tire o PL
da pauta
O presidente do Senado Rodrigo Pacheco colocou na pauta de hoje
(quarta-feira, 28/04) o projeto de lei que legaliza a grilagem (roubo de
terras públicas) no Brasil. Agora é hora de você ajudar a pressioná-lo para tirar o PL 510 da pauta:
– Participe do tuitaço às 14h, usando as hashtags #GrilagemNão e #PL510Não;
– Escreva para sen.rodrigopacheco@senado.leg.br, com a mensagem: Rodrigo
Pacheco, é inadmissível votar o PL 510, um projeto que aumenta o
desmatamento e estimula conflitos, sem qualquer debate, enquanto a
pandemia faz milhares de vítimas diariamente. O Senado precisa salvar
vidas e não premiar quem rouba terras públicas! Tire o PL 510 da pauta!
– Ligue para o gabinete do presidente do Senado, pedindo para ele tirar o PL 510 de pauta: (61) 3303-2794 / 2795
Com quase 400 mil mortos e o Brasil de volta ao Mapa da Fome, é hora
de cuidar das pessoas e não da boiada. Todos os esforços do Parlamento
precisam estar em proteger os brasileiros, comprar vacina e deter o
morticínio.
Mas o Congresso Nacional caminha em direções contrárias. No mesmo dia
da criação da CPI da Covid-19, Pacheco colocou na pauta do plenário,
sem nenhum debate com a sociedade, o PL 510/2021, o PL da Grilagem do
Senador Irajá Abreu, conhecido e influente ruralista.
O PL de Irajá é uma MP da Grilagem (MP 910/2019)
piorada. É um verdadeiro prêmio para grileiros de terras públicas, ou
seja, para grandes invasores e quadrilhas criminosas que invadem e
desmatam ilegalmente terras públicas da União, com a expectativa futura
de conseguir a titulação a preços muito abaixo do mercado, e vendê-las. Sim, estes criminosos enriquecem às custas dos brasileiros, e Rodrigo Pacheco quer ajudá-los a enriquecer ainda mais.
Se o projeto for aprovado, mais invasões de terras públicas,
desmatamento e violência contra populações do campo ocorrerão.
Regularização fundiária é um instrumento fundamental para a justiça
social no campo no país. Mas para que a justiça social seja alcançada
não é preciso mudar a lei, e sim implementar a que está em vigor. (veja
mais informações na nota de posicionamento do Greenpeace e outras organizações)
Populações que vivem no campo, que com a pandemia encontram-se ainda
mais vulnerabilizadas, precisam de vacina, segurança e renda. É
inadmissível votar medidas que acentuam a situação grave desses grupos,
ao invés de defendê-los.
Além desta medida, há uma série de outras que tramitam no Congresso
Nacional e que, se aprovadas, representarão forte retrocesso para a
regulamentação dos recursos naturais e uso da terra no Brasil. Se esse
projeto passar hoje, os ruralistas, com apoio do governo federal,
sentirão que têm passe livre para a destruição do nosso patrimônio. Mas
eles não têm. Precisamos colocar um freio nesse trator!
PROBLEMAS DO PROJETO DE LEI Nº 510/2021:
Não traz benefícios para combater grilagem e desmatamento;
Aumenta o risco de legalizar áreas em conflito;
Amplia de 2011 para 2014 a data limite de ocupação de terra pública que pode ser titulada sem licitação;
Incentiva a continuidade da invasão de terra pública;
Dispensa vistoria prévia para áreas grandes, com até 2.500 hectares;
Amplia benefícios para médios e grandes imóveis, pois:
reduz valores cobrados na titulação de quem já tem outro imóvel; dispensa custas e taxas no cartório e no Incra;
amplia prazo de renegociação de crédito rural até o final de 2021;
Permite
reincidência de invasão de terra pública, pois autoriza nova titulação a
quem foi beneficiado com a regularização fundiária no passado;
Permite
a extinção de projetos de assentamento para aplicação das regras de
privatização da terra, com risco de afetar assentamentos criados para
populações agroextrativistas.
Celebramos nosso aniversário reconhecendo o que nos une e todos
aqueles que nos ajudam a construir um mundo mais verde e pacífico
É hoje! Faz 29 anos desde que nossos primeiros ativistas protestaram
contra a energia nuclear no pátio da usina de Angra dos Reis, no Rio de
Janeiro.
Mas como celebrar essa data em meio a quase 400 mil vidas perdidas em uma pandemia,
ou vendo o autoritarismo crescer no nosso país para silenciar vozes
discordantes e enfraquecer nossa democracia, tão fundamental para o
ativismo?
Reconhecendo o que nos une.
Se a quantidade de velinhas de aniversário fosse medida não pelo
tempo, mas pelo número de pessoas que já estiveram ou estão conosco
nesta jornada em defesa da vida e do nosso planeta, não haveria bolo
grande o suficiente para colocar todas elas. Temos orgulho da nossa
história pelos milhares de brasileiros e brasileiras que se mobilizam
conosco em momentos cruciais, como agora em que entregamos uma usina de oxigênio para povos indígenas sufocados pela Covid-19 na Amazônia, e toneladas de alimentos agroecológicos para famílias vulneráveis nas periferias de várias cidades do país; ou quando escalamos a pressão pública contra as boiadas políticas
que tentam dilapidar nosso meio ambiente. Nosso aniversário é sempre um
momento de reforçar nossa esperança, otimismo e solidariedade e de
agradecer a todos vocês, doadores, ativistas, voluntários, seguidores e
parceiros que fazem o Greenpeace Brasil mais forte. Muito obrigada!
Olhando para o futuro, estamos em plena “volta de Saturno”, que para
os amantes da astrologia, é o momento de retorno do planeta à posição do
nascimento no mapa astrológico, trazendo questionamentos e mudanças que
darão início a um novo ciclo significativo na vida. Portanto, espere
novidades. O que podemos adiantar é que, se a melhor forma de prever o
futuro é começar a criá-lo, vamos construir caminhos para o #BrasilQueQueremos.
Isso significa sermos mais diversos e inclusivos, criativos e
propositivos para saber inovar sem medo de se reinventar, mas sem perder
a coragem e independência de atuação que marcam a nossa trajetória e
identidade na defesa intransigente do meio ambiente e da paz.
De 1992, quando o país sediou a Rio-92, até o momento atual em que a
sociedade civil se articula para realizar a Rio+30, tivemos conquistas
importantes com o nosso trabalho ao longo desses 29 anos em relação à
conscientização da sociedade, às políticas públicas, e compromissos de
empresas com o meio ambiente. Apesar dos avanços, os desafios não
ficaram menores; ao contrário, alguns se tornaram ainda mais urgentes e
perigosos. Que possamos continuar juntos defendendo nossa democracia e
nossa morada comum, na construção de um futuro mais verde e pacífico,
justo, próspero e saudável para todos nós e as outras formas de vida que
habitam este planeta.
* Tatiana Rodrigues e Tica Minami, diretoras executivas do Greenpeace Brasil
Antes que se vá, pedimos o seu apoio. Neste
momento de quarentena, mantemos nossos escritórios fechados, mas nossa
equipe segue de casa trabalhando em nossas campanhas, pesquisas e no
monitoramento dos crimes ambientais. Sua doação é muito importante para
que esse trabalho continue sendo feito com independência e qualidade,
pois não recebemos recursos de governos e empresas.Clique e se torne um doador.
A Amazônia brasileira já perdeu 20% de suas florestas. Mas para
entender como chegamos a este ponto e os impactos disso em nossas vidas,
é preciso compreender os fatos que nos trouxeram até aqui
O que a Amazônia tem a ver com a comida do meu prato? Quem morava no
Brasil antes de existir o “Brasil”? Por que cortar árvores piora as
mudanças climáticas? Como vigiamos a maior floresta tropical do mundo?
Ligamos os pontos da história – e da biologia, meteorologia, geografia e
até da matemática – para explicar a Amazônia de hoje.
Pois compreender o passado, e a ciência por trás dos fenômenos da
natureza, é fundamental para que possamos lutar por um futuro melhor.
Esta série foi idealizada para esclarecer conceitos importantes sobre a Amazônia e é indicada para professores, alunos e qualquer pessoa que se interesse por curiosidades e pela proteção do meio ambiente.
Então assista, use e compartilhe!
Povos originários e a proteção da Amazônia
Antes de o Brasil ser chamado de “Brasil”, milhões de pessoas já
habitavam esta terra, inclusive a Amazônia. Esses são os povos
originários ou povos indígenas. Mas apesar de conviverem em harmonia com
a floresta há milhares de anos, até hoje esses povos têm suas culturas,
seus lares e até sua existência desrespeitados.
Serviços Ecossistêmicos: o presente da floresta.
Os benefícios que a natureza nos traz, simplesmente por existir em
equilíbrio, são chamados de serviços ecossistêmicos. No caso da
Amazônia, são serviços como a produção e distribuição da água, o
resfriamento do clima, a proteção contra doenças, alimentos e muito
mais. Mas se a floresta nos dá tudo isso de graça, por que ainda
desmatam a Amazônia?
Como podemos ver o desmatamento da Amazônia?
A Amazônia é gigantesca, assim como o desafio de protegê-la. Para
saber o que acontece na floresta, é preciso olhar de cima, lá do espaço,
com a ajuda de satélites. Através das imagens captadas por diversos
satélites, é possível identificar desmatamentos, queimadas e até o corte
ilegal de madeira.
A Amazônia pode acabar algum dia?
A floresta amazônica é tão grandiosa, que é difícil imaginar o mundo
sem ela. Mas estudos vêm mostrando que se o desmatamento atingir um
ponto limite, é possível que ela nunca mais consiga se recuperar por
completo, o que mudaria o planeta como o conhecemos.
Qual foi o tamanho do desmatamento da Amazônia em 2020?
Todos os anos, o governo brasileiro divulga os dados oficiais do
desmatamento da Amazônia, através do Prodes, medido pelo Instituto de
Pesquisas Espaciais (INPE). Em 2020, o desmatamento voltou a crescer na
floresta, atingindo 11 mil km², o equivalente a 1,5 milhão de campos de
futebol.
Jornalista do Greenpeace Brasil em Manaus. Adora acampar e o
cheiro da floresta depois da chuva. Ama sua filha, dormir, cozinhar e
contar histórias, nessa ordem.
Thirty-five years on, while scientists are still studying the
consequences of the Chernobyl disaster, governments and companies are
laying foundations for new nuclear accidents.
Ranked as the worst nuclear disaster to date, Chernobyl is a quarter of a century older than Fukushima.
But it still presents challenges that authorities haven’t figured out
how to address. Technology to deal with the radioactive fuel that
remains in the reactor doesn’t yet exist. A new sarcophagus was added in
2016 in an attempt to buy some time to invent new approaches.
Why does it matter?
Around five million people in Ukraine, Belarus and Russia still live
in territories that are officially recognised as contaminated. People
who live here constantly receive new doses of radiation, as documented
in joint research
produced by Greenpeace and Ukranian scientists. Methods to deactivate
the contaminated areas either don’t exist, or – where there are usable
technologies – the states do not have resources to deploy them.
Meanwhile, Chernobyl from time to time reminds us that it is still
here and is still dangerous. And with climate change the danger only
grows.
Last year huge forest fires raged in
the exclusion zone. It was not for the first time. In 35 years, fires
have broken out in the exclusion zone more than 1,500 times. But due to
the unusual drought caused by climate breakdown, it was the largest fire
since the exclusion zone was set up, covering a third of this sensitive
area. At one point, only a kilometer separated the edge of the fire and
the newly built sarcophagus.
Plumes from the fire stretched for tens of kilometres towards
Ukraine’s capital Kiev, fuelling fears that the smoke particles may
raise radiation levels in the city. Fortunately, this did not happen,
the radiation outside the exclusion zone remained at a low level deemed
acceptable by the authorities. But firefighters had to work in the most
contaminated areas of the zone where, according to press reports,
radiation levels exceeded the background level by 16 times.
“Unfortunately, we have very little information on the radiological
environmental hazards of fires in radioactively contaminated areas,”
says Professor Valery Kashparov, head of the Ukrainian Research
Institute of Agricultural Radiology.
“Fires pose the greatest problem mainly from the point of view of the
radiation exposure of firefighters. For them the danger is the highest.
The greatest danger may be related to the inhaled dose, due to the
intake and the entry of radionuclides into the lungs.”
Wildfires near
the Chernobyl nuclear power plant burning since April 3 have already
become the largest for the entire existence of this exclusion zone.
These fires are extremely dangerous because radionuclides located in the
upper soil layers might be released into the air. pic.twitter.com/QyDkeq6PGY
Firefighters need to have complete information on the radiation risks
before they go to the contaminated areas. But the last study on this
issue was done 20 years ago and since then the natural conditions have
shifted. The climate crisis is causing more frequent droughts,
ecosystems have changed and each fire has had an impact on the local
environment.
This year, when the weather conditions allow it, the Institute with
support from Greenpeace, will study a range of parameters that influence
radiation doses during the fires.
“The main task of the experiment is to estimate the expected doses
for firefighters – because this is the most critical group that can
receive the highest inhalation doses during a fire. We will then work
out recommendations to minimise the risk,” says Professor Kashparov.
The bigger picture
The fire experiment will provide the data needed to assess risks
faced by firefighters. That’s crucial for protection of the individuals,
their families and colleagues. But this is only one of the dangers
caused by the nuclear disaster 35 years ago that still has to be dealt
with. And who knows how much more scientists will discover in the
future.
Even countries that have survived the horrors of this disaster on
their soil continue to cling tenaciously to nuclear power. A new nuclear
power plant is being built right now in Belarus. Russia not only builds
stationary ones, but has launched a floating nuclear power plant – the
‘Akademik Lomonosov’ operated by Rosatom was immediately dubbed a ‘floating Chernobyl’. More than 30 countries around the world are still operating nuclear plants.
What’s needed now?
What the world really needs is for governments and companies to stop
introducing new nuclear risks when we still cannot cope with the
existing ones. The only way to do this is to phase out nuclear energy
and switch to renewables as soon as possible.
Andrey Allakhverdov is a media coordinator at Greenpeace Russia
Correction 24/4: Reference to radiation outside the exclusion zone
remaining at a safe level following fires in 2020 has been corrected to
say that the low level was deemed acceptable by authorities.
Ice shelves breaking away. Microplastics in our food chain. Air pollution killing us quietly.
These are just some of the news we read about lately. Disturbing news
that is becoming all too frequent and no longer just confined to the
environment section.
It’s almost as if Mother Earth has got something to say. Maybe she’s been warning us all along, we just failed to listen.
Days like Earth Day remind all of us of the present state of our
planet – which is in a crisis. The truth is, Earth Day should be 365
days in a year.
It is impossible to wake up each day without realising how awesome it
is to be alive and living on Earth. Of all the planets out there, we
were lucky enough to be on this green and blue planet full of wonderful
ecosystems that are unique, inspiring and life-giving.
Our every breath, our food and water- our very existence comes from
nature. Our very survival depends on the laws of nature all working
perfectly together and in harmony.
We need healthy forests and oceans to regulate global temperatures
from rising. We need a stable climate to propagate agriculture to feed
the world. We need animals and plant species to thrive for ecosystems to
fully function.
For life on Earth to continue to exist, we need nature to do what it
does best: sustaining life it gives homes to. With all the noise and
distractions of modern-day life, we have failed to recognise this
remarkable fact and take the environment for granted.
Our every action impacts the environment
Conscious of your Carbon Footprint? Take a step back and consider your whole Ecological Footprint.
The Ecological Footprint
measures “the amount of biologically productive land and sea area an
individual, a region, all of humanity, or a human activity that compete
for biologically productive space.” It’s actually a resource accounting
tool used by governments, businesses and institutions to answer specific
resource questions, particularly on how much of the Earth’s biological
capacity is required by a given human activity or population. If
everyone on Earth were conscious of our Ecological Footprint—
particularly governments and industries— then we could get ourselves out
of the huge mess we are in.
For years, we’ve assumed that the environment is an infinite resource
at our disposal, a “commodity for humanity”. Our needs have turned to
wants and more wants, aided by marketing and advertising.
We have long been dependent on fossil fuels, and addicted to its
by-products that are polluting much of the planet, such as single-use
plastic. Plastic packaging produced by corporations is filling up
landfills, choking our oceans and waterways. In fact, single-use plastic
can be found in every corner of the planet, even in spaces
unimaginable. And now with the Covid-19 pandemic, more single-use face
masks and personal protective equipment just add to the waste problem.
We should listen to science
Early this month, scientists at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration let out a huge cry as they issued another dire warning.
For the first time in Earth’s history, atmospheric CO2 emissions reached 421.21 parts per million
(ppm). Scientists immediately took to social media to ask governments
to take heed and immediately hit the brakes on the burning of fossil
fuels.
To put this number into perspective, normal CO2 levels have been
pegged at 350ppm, so every time we hit a new record on global emissions,
we inch our way closer to a 1.5 to 2°C temperature rise.
Such an increase would make the climate more intolerable and trigger
more extreme weather events that would be catastrophic for millions,
especially those in vulnerable regions.
Since last year, climate activists have reiterated calls for world
governments to address the #ClimateEmergency with the same urgency and
intensity as they have done with the pandemic response. After all,
millions of lives are at risk with no vaccine in existence to stabilise
the world’s climate.
As countries prepare to debate and negotiate their commitments to the
Paris Agreement, only one thing is certain: the climate can’t wait. The
longer governments delay to honour their climate commitments, the
harder it will be to achieve the 1.5°C target. Every tenth of a degree
of global heating is critical to our survival on this planet.
Let’s be better ancestors
We are currently living in the Anthropocene period- the age of humans. It began with the industrial revolution in the 18th
century, when we started burning fossil fuels to spur growth and power
economies. This is when human activities started having an impact on the
environment.
The Anthropocene is often regarded as dark and foreboding
because of what humans have done to the climate and to Earth’s
biodiversity. With ecosystems failing, mass extinctions of plants and
animals are happening, and with climate worsening, there is no one else
to blame for the possible annihilation of all life on Earth but
humankind.
Knowing what we know now, it makes perfect sense for us to now act
and prevent the destruction of our natural world for the benefit of
future generations. We are all in the position to change the course of
history and to build back better starting today. Thankfully, there are
many out there who are thinking ahead with a desire to preserve much of
the planet. They are taking it upon themselves to be better ancestors
despite the challenges.
We can all be better ancestors by becoming more aware of the
ecological crisis and our impact to the planet. Our knowledge and
understanding of the different environmental issues should lead us to
better lifestyle choices that will be beneficial to nature.
We must restore our Earth
Mother Earth is estimated to be around 4.5 billion years old. She is
weary, disheveled and drained. Given what she’s been through, she feels
cranky, frustrated and tired of humans. Who can blame her?
We’ve always been needy and greedy. We keep depleting Earth’s natural
resources without remorse or restitution. In fact, we’ve been using up
Earth’s resources at an alarming rate. Currently, we are using up 1.6 times more than what the Earth can regenerate in a year.
Though she may be resilient, we need to give Mother Earth a break— we
must offer her a lifeline. We need to stop treating the environment as a
commodity and as an infinite resource because doing so would be
fatal.
With this ‘new normal’, we must learn to reconnect with nature
and consider the environment in everything we do. If there’s anything
to learn from the pandemic, it is that governments need to shift their
priorities and invest on human and planetary health to make the world resilient to future shocks.
Reindeer herding is not just a profession. It is something you live
with around the clock and all year round, generation after generation.
Our families have lived in these lands and have been continuously
carrying on with forest Sámi reindeer herding for many hundreds of
years.
But in recent years, the land needed for reindeer herding has
decreased more and more, due to extensive logging. This affects the
reindeer directly. The food disappears. The vital hanging lichen – the
emergency feed – is becoming increasingly rare. You can see how the
reindeer have changed in recent years. Their antlers have become worse
and the average weight of the reindeer has decreased. The behavior of
the reindeer is changing. It’s devastating – and it’s awful to see. If
the forests were to disappear, then there is no future for the reindeer
and reindeer husbandry at all.
Although we have used these forests for centuries, most of them are
today held by the state owned forest company Sveaskog. A couple of years
ago, we still had regular consultations with Sveaskog, which we have
had for decades. Unfortunately, they abruptly terminated these meetings
with us. We received no sensible explanation, only oral information
about the message.
We have said “no” to logging in important areas and we have shown the
importance of these areas. But Sveaskog shows us no consideration at
all, they just cut the forests. We can say nothing about it. We do not
even get maps of where they plan to log. They come here and make new
forest roads in the area, chopping down forests that can be important to
us. They have also logged forests that we have previously agreed must
be kept, because they are so important for reindeer grazing.
Sveaskog has treated us very abusively – and still does. This haunts
us daily. We have made demands to Sveaskog. We have written letters from
Sámi reindeer herding district, where we demand that we should have
consultations back and that some forests must be saved. But we have not
been heard. It’s awful that a state-owned company can do that.
We have seen with our own eyes how fast the logging goes on and feel a
strong concern for the future. The reindeer and we who work with
reindeer husbandry are completely dependent on the forest. If we lose
the few small areas of hanging lichen forests that we have left, it is
the end of reindeer husbandry. What should we do if the forest is lost?
What will the reindeer live on? Where will we go?
Sveaskog is the state’s own forest company – and is governed on the
basis of what the Swedish parliament and the government decide. They
must consult with the reindeer herding area – this is an absolute
minimum. We demand that Sveaskog immediately stop all logging in Muonio
Sámi reindeer herding district until they restart consultation with us
again.
Katarina Sevä is a reindeer herder and board member of Muonio Sámi reindeer herding district
Please support our call to protect Indigenous lands from logging, here: https://act.gp/3gqtFkW
There is an old, now iconic, Coca-Cola commercial from 1971, called Hilltop
or as it’s more commonly known as “I’d like to buy the world a Coke”.
The video features a diverse group of young people from all over the
world holding glass bottles of Coke on a pristine hilltop. In it they
sing, “I’d like to buy the world a home… to buy the world a Coke and
keep it company. It’s the real thing, what the world wants today.”
What’s happening
At this year’s shareholder meeting, 50 years on, Coca-Cola wants to
pretend that it’s still on that hilltop, making us feel refreshed and
joyful, full of nostalgia for its “classic” brand.
Meantime activists around the world are protesting loudly
– pointing out that thanks to the operations of companies like Coca
Cola – the hilltop is now not only littered with single use plastic
bottles, but increasingly being covered over with new fossil fuel
infrastructure designed to make yet more throwaway plastic. That
Coca-Cola’s plastics problem is beyond being a litter and ocean problem.
Plastic pollution is also a climate, health and social justice issue.
Few knew of the real consequences of the world Coca-Cola was setting
out to build on that hilltop. The reality is, Coca-Cola has a major
plastics problem and it’s threatening our personal and planetary health.
In December 2020, following global clean ups and brand audits, Coca-Cola was named the world’s worst plastic polluter for the third year in a row.
That means that no matter what beach you stand on, or which city block
you stroll, you are most likely to find Coke-branded plastic posing a
threat to both our waterways and communities.
For decades, Coca-Cola and other consumer goods companies have relied
on the myth of recycling to avoid responsibility for this pollution.
They have played up recycled content as a way to continue using harmful
single-use plastics, and put the onus on all of us to clean up their
trash, while refusing to recognize that their plastic problem is beyond
being solved by recycling or clean up initiatives.
Its plastic addiction is also feeding climate change. As the fossil
fuel industry’s profitability continues to be undermined by worldwide
action against greenhouse gas emissions, it has begun to see its
salvation in a plastics boom – and a long-term partner in consumer goods
companies like Coca-Cola. According to scientists, packaging already accounts for 40 percent of total plastic demand, and the industry would like nothing more than to increase that dependence.
If the fossil fuel industry continues to develop new extraction and
processing capacity to meet the predicted plastics demand growth,
society could become locked into high emissions, and the necessary 1.5
°C capstone goal to avoid the worst impacts of climate change will become impossible to meet.
So how does Coca-Cola get to that sunny hilltop? If Coca-Cola wants
to show it cares about people, climate change and plastic pollution, it
will immediately end its toxic relationship with the fossil fuel industry and reliance on single-use plastics.
If Coca-Cola wants to show it cares about the communities who are
being hit hardest by the climate and pollution crises, it will end the
production of plastics; production that disproportionately harms low income communities and communities of colour. Coca-Cola must put its money where its mouth is and invest in systems of reuse that eliminate the burden of toxic plastic pollution from these communities so they have access to cleaner air and water, and can thrive in the communities they call home.
If Coca-Cola truly wants to live up to its climate commitments, it
must play no part in fuelling a planned fossil fuel petrochemical
expansion that risks locking us into high emissions and the worst
impacts of climate change. It must end its toxic relationship with the fossil fuel industry.
The last few months have been challenging for humanity. The global
pandemic has ushered in a ‘new normal’ for all of us. We hope and pray
for better days. For those still affected by COVID-19, we wish them a
speedy recovery. This shall too pass.
With lockdowns and social distancing still in place, we are not able
to fully explore the world outside just yet. For now, let us be armchair
travellers and marvel at just how beautiful and amazing Earth is. From
up above snow-clad mountain peaks, down to the deepest depths of the
oceans, every inch of our living planet is awe-inspiring. We must
celebrate nature’s beauty 365 days of the year.
Two hundred civil society organizations in Brazil sent an open
letter to the United States government asking it not to support the
destructive environmental policies of Brazilian President Jair
Bolsonaro.
The US government is bringing together world leaders for an online
Climate Summit on 22-23 April to discuss combating the climate crisis.
The climate summit is part of US President Joe Biden’s efforts to
reposition his country as an international leader in the fight against
climate change.
But President Biden cannot achieve any position of climate leadership
if he participates in behind-the-scenes negotiations with the
government of Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro.
Behind closed doors, Brazil and the United States are negotiating the
transfer of billions of dollars’ worth of resources intended to curb
deforestation in Brazil. However, there is no guarantee that the money
from the US will actually go towards protecting forests in Brazil. On
the contrary, the agreement could make the Biden government complicit in
the environmental destruction promoted by the Bolsonaro government.
In hopes of dissuading Biden from enabling forest destruction, Greenpeace Brazil joined 199 organizations in Brazil and sent a letter to John Kerry, the US special envoy for climate, asking the Biden government not to sign a “blank check” for Bolsonaro.
Since being elected in 2018, Bolsonaro’s administration has promoted
deforestation in the Amazon and rewarded environmental criminals. Any
transfer of resources from the US to Brazil would legitimize and
strengthen the anti-environmental policy of Bolsonaro and his
Environment Minister, Ricardo Salles. Any secretive deal with
Bolsonaro’s government would also prevent the money from reaching those
who most need aid, such as Indigenous Peoples, Quilombolas, and family
farmers.
There is no doubt that resources are needed for environmental
protection, but the current Brazilian government has shown it cannot be
trusted with the protection of the largest tropical forest on the
planet.
Here are just a few of the ways Bolsonaro’s government has failed to prevent deforestation:
Since 2019, the Brazilian government has stopped spending $500
million from the Amazon Fund and $96.5 million from the Green Climate
Fund. These funds could have been used to protect forests and Indigenous
Peoples and small landowners. Instead, the Bolsonaro government intends
to direct any US funds indiscriminately to large landowners.
In December 2020, the Brazilian government announced climate
commitments that were less than those put in place by the Paris
Agreement. As part of this unambitious plan, the government claimed it
needed resources from developed countries to fulfill even these
diminished goals.
In 2021, Brazil’s National Congress, with the support of
Bolsonaro, is preparing to vote on a huge package of setbacks in
environmental protection. Recently, despite the efforts of Greenpeace
Brazil and other organizations, the National Congress also passed the
smallest budget for the environment in 21 years.
It is difficult to imagine a solution for the Amazon proposed by the
government responsible for a historic increase in deforestation and
which repeatedly supports bills that are harmful to Indigenous Peoples,
conservation groups, and small farmers.
Any effort to defend forests in Brazil must support Indigenous
Peoples, widely recognized as guardians of the forest. Likewise, a
genuine effort to defend forests must curb environmental crimes and not
compensate the large landowners and land grabbers who have been
emboldened by Bolsonaro to advance over the forest.
By reaching an agreement with the Bolsonaro government, the US would
be legitimizing the regressive policies that have increased inequality
in Brazil, aggravated the global climate crisis, and prioritized
political interests above the protection of the population which is
suffering the consequences of intersecting climate and health crises.
Joe Biden and Kamala Harris were elected by US voters on the promise
of listening to science and resuming the fight against the climate
crisis. By negotiating with the Bolsonaro government they would be
endorsing the sort of anti-human rights and anti-science policies that
were a reality in the United States under Donald Trump. Repairing what
has been destroyed takes more than good speeches and photos in the
newspapers.
Fabiana Alves is a Climate and Justice campaigner with Greenpeace Brazil
On the eve of Nestlé’s Annual General Meeting, Greenpeace Switzerland
activists projected a series of messages and logos at the company’s
headquarters, in Vevey. The images called out Nestlé for “feeding the
world with plastic” and reminded the company it is a big part of the
plastic and climate crises. Greenpeace has been campaigning against big
brands like Nestlé globally to demand they reduce their single-use
plastic packaging and invest in reusable systems.
Why it matters
Every year, Nestlé presents its annual financial results to its
shareholders; celebrating gains which are often achieved at the expense
of our environment and the climate. Despite a large number of media
announcements in recent months, Nestlé’s record on eliminating throwaway
plastic remains disastrous. In total. 1,300,000 tonnes of single-use
plastic packaging were sold by the brand in 2020. Last December, the
Break Free From Plastic movement identified the company as one of the world’s top three plastic polluters for the third year in a row.
And while Nestlé regularly talks big about reusables in their PR
materials, the reality is that less than 1% of their packaging is
actually reusable. And for a company that used a shocking 352 billion
pieces of packaging in 2020 that adds up to a vast amount of waste and a
big impact on the planet. What is clear is that as plastic
pollution continues to increase globally, Nestlé prefers to delude
itself and mislead us by relying on plastic “recycling”,
or by switching to other throwaway materials for its packaging, such
as paper and cardboard. All of which have been found to harm our
biodiversity and pollute our planet.
What is Greenpeace doing about it
“Nestlé must stop investing in false solutions and finally move towards reusable systems,” says Greenpeace Switzerland’s Campaigner Matthias Wüthrich.
This is why, yesterday, a few hours before the group’s Annual
General Meeting, which was held virtually again this year due to the
global pandemic, Greenpeace Switzerland activists gathered at the
headquarters in Vevey to urge Nestlé to change its business model.
“Stop Single-Use, go Reuse”, “Nestlé, stop feeding the world with
plastic” are some of the messages that illuminated the wall of the Vevey
building.
A particularnew ingredient was also highlighted inadded to the
visuals of some of the multinational’s brands: hydrocarbons to
communicate that plastic is not only a waste problem, it is also a
petroleum product whose production, use and disposal contribute to global warming.
We need to stop the use of plastic at source and radically change the way consumer products are delivered to customers.
Real solutions to this problem exist and Nestlé needs to invest in them.
It needs to invest in refill and reuse.
“Without making a real commitment to reusable solutions, all Nestlé’s
planned measures simply displace the problem and amount to greenwashing.
Only a change of system from single-use to reusable packaging will save
our planet from plastic pollution and protect our climate,” concluded
Matthias Wüthrich.
Matthias Wüthrichis a Plastic Campaignerwith Greenpeace Switzerland
Ruralistas querem pautar PL da Grilagem e da flexibilização do
licenciamento, ameaças graves ao meio ambiente e aos povos da floresta.
Ajude a pressionar o presidente da Câmara
Pegando carona no discurso mentiroso do presidente Jair Bolsonaro na Cúpula do Clima, ontem (22/03), o presidente da Câmara dos Deputados Arthur Lira (PP/AL) prometeu colocar em pauta
projetos de lei (PLs) que ele vende como bons para a sociedade, mas
que, se aprovados, irão fazer estrago na Amazônia e em outras regiões do
país. O primeiro é o PL da Grilagem; o segundo, o PL do Licenciamento
Ambiental. [Veja ao fim do blog como você pode ajudar]
A Lira e a todos os deputados e senadores, o recado é claro: é
inadmissível que seja discutido qualquer tema que não esteja
diretamente ligado a solucionar a crise sanitária que se instalou no
país devido à pandemia. Todas as atenções do Parlamento precisam estar
voltadas para salvar vidas, não para ameaçá-las ainda mais.
PL da Grilagem volta a assombrar
As constantes tentativas de alteração das leis sobre regularização
fundiária fazem a gente se perguntar: a quem interessa tanta mudança?
Apesar de todas as manifestações contrárias ao PL 2.633/2020, mais
conhecido como o PL da Grilagem, em 2020, os ruralistas
no Congresso insistem em fechar os ouvidos para a sociedade e querem
legalizar o roubo de terras públicas, beneficiando grupos criminosos e
desmatadores. (Relembre aqui que a MP da Grilagem virou o PL da Grilagem).
Junto com o PL 510/2021, no Senado, e o PL 4.348/2019,
na Câmara, o PL da Grilagem é um incentivo para que novas invasões e
desmatamentos ilegais aconteçam, pois é um atestado de que o crime
compensa. A regularização fundiária é uma questão importante no Brasil,
mas feita dessa forma não contempla quem de fato tem direito à
titulação, que são os agricultores e agricultoras familiares. Para
regularizar as propriedades desses trabalhadores e trabalhadoras, que
esperam há anos por isso, já existe lei, não precisamos de uma nova legislação. O que falta é interesse político e capacidade dos órgãos. Que tal se Bolsonaro fortalecer o Incra e deixá-lo trabalhar?
Além disso, o governo precisa reconhecer, com urgência, os direitos
territoriais de populações indígenas e comunidades tradicionais,
demarcando e titulando suas terras, além de priorizar a criação das
unidades de conservação, que protegem a floresta.
Licenciamento ambiental não é entrave, é solução
Outro assunto trazido pelo trator ruralista é o PL do Licenciamento (a
Lei Geral do Licenciamento Ambiental, nº 3.729/2004). O licenciamento
ambiental é um instrumento extremamente importante para prevenir e
mitigar os impactos negativos ao ambiente e às populações quando há
instalação de empreendimentos (por exemplo, usinas hidrelétricas e
rodovias).
Porém, a bancada ruralista quer que o PL do Licenciamento
transforme essa ferramenta em mera burocracia, enfraquecendo a proteção
ambiental, reduzindo a participação das populações impactadas e trazendo
insegurança jurídica para os próprios empreendedores. No momento em que
a Amazônia sofre com taxas recordes de desmatamento, fragilizar o licenciamento ambiental é ajudar a decretar a morte da floresta.
Diversas organizações da sociedade civil (Observatório do Clima,
Greenpeace, WWF, Instituto Socioambiental, SOS Mata Atlântica, Instituto
Democracia e Sustentabilidade, Instituto Sociedade, População e
Natureza e Inesc) entregaram na semana passada um documento ao relator
do PL do Licenciamento, deputado Neri Geller (PP/MT). Na nota de
posicionamento, as entidades afirmam que um texto complexo como esse,
que pode impactar a vida de milhões de pessoas e envolve praticamente
todas as atividades socioeconômicas, não pode ser votado diretamente em
plenário, sem debate e participação da sociedade.
Um novo texto sobre licenciamento, baseado nas propostas
anteriores, ainda será apresentado por Neri Geller, e as entidades
reforçam a necessidade de discuti-lo amplamente antes de ser colocado em
votação.
As organizações lembram que existe um consenso sobre o Brasil ter uma
lei específica sobre o tema e sobre a necessidade de se tratar de
modalidades simplificadas de licenciamento para empreendimentos de baixo
impacto e risco. Mas essa, definitivamente, não é a hora adequada para
se discutir o tema.
Algumas das ameaças que o PL do Licenciamento pode trazer são:
Isenção de licenciamento de atividades com impacto ambiental;
Brecha para que estados e municípios atraiam empreendimentos para suas localidades por terem regras de licenciamento menos rígidas que outras unidades da federação;
Abertura para aplicação da Licença por Adesão e Compromisso (LAC), opção que pode tornar o licenciamento exceção ao invés de regra, levando a uma espécie de autolicenciamento que gerará problemas sérios;
Restrições à participação popular no processo de licenciamento, inclusive das pessoas impactadas por empreendimentos;
Restrição à participação de órgãos fundamentais,
como o Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservação da Biodiversidade
(ICMBio), Funai, Iphan, o Ministério da Agricultura e o Ministério da
Saúde, gerando inconstitucionalidade e colocando em risco direitos dos
povos indígenas e tradicionais;
Ausência de qualquer tratamento à questão das mudanças climáticas.
Como eu ajudo a frear o trator?
Escreva para o presidente da Câmara dos Deputados, Arthur Lira, e
pressione para que ele não paute projetos sobre licenciamento ambiental e
regularização fundiária no plenário da Casa. A prioridade agora é o
combate à Covid-19!
Jornalista do Greenpeace Brasil em Brasília, integra os times de
Políticas Públicas e Agricultura & Alimentação. Começou a abraçar
árvores ainda criança e não parou mais.
