Brazil adopted a new forestry code that removes barriers to deforestation

Protected forest areas on private land in the Amazon region, equivalent to 80%, was reduced to 50%.
 
It proposes a broad amnesty for landowners who, in recent decades, violated existing laws.
 
Rousseff Greenpeace demands that "turn off the chainsaw."
 
 
 
 
The Brazilian Senate approved on Tuesday with an overwhelming support for a controversial reform of laws governing land use , which according to environmental groups will give a "mortal blow" to the already degraded Amazon and open doors to greater deforestation.
 
 
 
 
The project, which will be returned to the House of Representatives to consider some changes, was adopted with 58 votes in favor and 8 against with the support of almost the entire ruling, coupled with opposition sectors grouped in the " rural bank "suprapartisan group representing big business in the field.
 
 
 
The senators and ignored the protests of environmentalists who through the world have reported the impact that, in his opinion, will reform the Forestry Code, which dates from 1965 and establishes standards for agricultural activity and the general use of the soil.
 
 
 
The Senate’s decision, which introduced slight modifications, gives final approval of certain text in the lower chamber, a first discussion that I support a strong vote of 410-63.
 
 
 
The project submitted by the Government itself and backed by the powerful farming industry, among other things raises the protected forest areas on private land in the Amazon region, equivalent to 80%, reduced to 50%.
 
 
 
The Government of Dilma Rousseff , the main proponent of the project and has the support of agricultural and livestock sectors, must overcome the dozens of amendments proposed by Senators to the text, to be discussed before a vote.
 
 
 
Carte blanche to agribusiness to exploit protected areas
 
 
 
It also states that protected areas to the edge of rivers, which today account for a strip of 30 meters on each side, to become 15 meters.
 
 
 
Proposed an amnesty for landowners who violated existing laws
 
 
 
On the other hand, establishes the obligation to recover the areas that are degraded in the future and economic incentives for farmers to adopt sustainable practices.
 
 
 
The point that has generated more discussion proposes a broad amnesty for landowners who, in recent decades, violated current law, which was forbidden deforested in these areas and maintain agricultural activity.
 
 
 
That pardon was widely criticized even by President Dilma Rousseff, who announced that it could veto this and other points of the project before sanctioning.
 
 
 
According to local media, of the 18 deputies who approved previamentente code in July this year, 13 were together approximately 6.5 million reais ($ 2.7 million) donated by companies in the agribusiness , livestock and branch of pulp and paper during his campaign for reelection.
 
 
 
A number of protests
 
 
 
On Monday, the worlds of culture and politics came together in Rio de Janeiro in an act against the approval of the project. Among the attendees was the director of the popular City of God and The Constant Gardener ,  Fernando Meirelles , who just completed his documentary Xingu for the Amazon.
 
 
 
The last protest against the possible adoption of the Code on Tuesday starred environmental group Greenpeace , in a ceremony before the Senate Dilma asked to "turn off the chainsaw."
 
 
 
Another project is extremely controversial hydroelectric Belo Monte "This reform will lead to increased deforestation in the Amazon, forgive those who cut down forests illegally and open gaps for new settlements" in the largest world’s plant lung, agronomist reported Tatiana de Carvalho, the Brazilian chapter of Greenpeace.
 
 
 
The rejection of the project generated a few months ago an unprecedented union of the ten Ministers of the Environment which took Brazil between 1973 and 2010, who in a letter to Rousseff asked to prevent what they called a "disaster waiting to happen."
 
 
 
On the other hand, along with the new forestry code that most impact the project has generated and reaction is the construction of the third largest dam in the world , that of hydroelectric Belo Monte.
 
 
 
Among those who have risen up against it, in addition to the aforementioned Fernando Meirelles , is that of James Cameron , director of Avatar that once took the promotion of the film to speak out against the project. So did Sigourney Weaver who works in the campaign against the project.