The proposed modifications, while originally intended to increase protection of forested areas, was changed in its drafting to allow areas to be farmed even if they were illegally logged before July 2008.įor the ruralistas, the powerful Brazilian agribusiness sector, it is a more realistic code for a key sector that represents 22 percent of Brazilian GDP. No new date has been scheduled as of the publication of this post.ĭating back to 1965, the current forestry code is credited with saving huge swaths of the Amazon rainforest. Since last November, the vote has been delayed for a variety of reasons including criticisms from the scientific community, environmental experts and a subtle political international pressure. It is a bill that has evoked passionate debate.īut yesterday, yet again, that vote was delayed after a congressional shake-up in which President Rousseff replaced her coalition’s leaders in each chamber.

This week the Brazilian Congress was scheduled to vote on a bill to amend the country’s forestry code.

Aq shadow of doubt