Macron says France will allocate 2.7 billion rai to Amazon

President of FranceEmmanuel MacronThis Saturday afternoon, 2 announced that 500 million euros – about 2.7 billion reais – will be allocated over the next three years. Brazil, for Amazon’s protection. The announcement was made on his social media profile, along with a photo featuring the President Luis Inacio Lula da Silva, during a bilateral meeting at COP28 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Hours earlier, Macron criticized negotiations for a trade agreement between the EU and Mercosur.

We are committed to protecting forests with Brazil. Over the next three years, France will dedicate 500 million euros to its defense. pic.twitter.com/GykWqfjfo1

— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) December 2, 2023

“With Brazil we are committed to protecting forests. In the next three years, France will dedicate 500 million euros to its defense,” the French president wrote. Earlier in the afternoon, after a meeting with Lula, Macron said the Mercosur-European Union deal, defended by the Brazilian president and negotiated since 1999, was “obsolete.” The French were against this move because it was a deal that was completely at odds with what we were doing.

“It doesn’t take biodiversity and climate into account. It’s an ancient agreement, which will remove tariffs. We need to think about an agreement with a more geostrategic approach, more consistent with our strategies and not be confused with the ancient agreement. That’s why I’m not in favor of this agreement. Because today this agreement is a farmer, “I don’t know how to explain to a steel producer, a French or a European cement producer,” Macron said.

The United Kingdom will allocate 215 million rai to biome

Macron’s stance changed after another decision involving the Amazon fund: just before the French president’s release, the United Kingdom announced during COP28 that it would allocate around 215 million reais to the Amazon fund. The announcement was made by UK Energy Security Minister Claire Coutinho who met with Brazil’s Environment and Climate Change Minister Marina Silva and Bank for Economic and Social Development (BNDES) President Aloizio Mercadante.

Announcement: The UK supports Brazil’s vision for the development of forests and the communities that protect them, which is why we are announcing today. #COP28£35 million in new funding for Amazon Fund

🇬🇧’s contribution to the Fund now exceeds R$700 million pic.twitter.com/JlBIiP6yBk

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— Stephanie Al-Qaq (@salqaq) December 2, 2023

The signing of the 500 million reais donation agreement to the Amazon Fund was announced in May by British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak during President Lula’s visit to the United Kingdom on the occasion of the coronation of King Charles III.

Since its establishment, the fund has received 3.4 billion rais and has financed more than 102 projects and has invested a total of 1.75 billion rais to improve sustainable operations in the Amazon. Countries like Norway, Germany, USA, Switzerland and now the UK are donors.