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More than 11,000ha of Brazilian rainforest will be cleared in Brazil this year, the largest annual clearance since 2008, according to Brazil’s National Institute for Space Research (INPE).
The revelation will increase pressure on the EU ahead of the ratification of the trade deal agreed with the Mercosur countries in June 2019.
It also comes at a time when the EU is pushing farmers into adopting the Farm to Fork strategy, which is encouraging the production of more trees and less livestock units. The Mercosur agreement made provision for restoration of 12m hectares of forest over the next decade and zero illegal logging.
MEPs are particularly exercised by what is happening in Brazil, grilling the recently appointed European Commissioner for Trade Valdis Dombrovskis in his ratification hearing with MEPs.
They also passed a vote in October that signalled opposition to ratification of the Mercosur deal in its present state.
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