Ireland will vote against Mercosur if Brazil fails to protect Amazon - Taoiseach

[Judi Lynn]

Jair Bolsonaro criticised as rainforest wildfires continue to rage
about an hour ago



A satellite image shows smoke rising from Amazon rainforest fires in the state of Rondonia, just southwest of Porto Velho, Brazil in the upper Amazon River basin. Photograph: ©2019 Maxar Technologies/via Reuters


Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has threatened that Ireland will vote against the Mercosur trade deal with South American countries unless Brazil observes environmental standards and protects the Amazon rainforest.

His warning comes as wildfires rage in the Amazon amid international criticism of Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro for failing to protect the rainforest.

“There is no way that Ireland will vote for the EU-Mercosur free trade agreement if Brazil does not honour its environmental commitments,” Mr Varadkar said in a statement on Thursday night.

He said he was “very concerned that this year has seen record levels of destruction of Amazonian forests by fire” and sharply criticised the Brazilian president.

More:
https://www.irishtimes.com/news/politics/ireland-will-vote-against-mercosur-if-brazil-fails-to-protect-amazon-taoiseach-1.3994516

[Eugene]

1. France and Ireland declare opposition to trade deal over Amazon fires

Source: The Guardian

France and Ireland declare opposition to trade deal over Amazon fires

Brazil’s handling of forest fires set to top agenda of G7 countries at meeting in Biarritz this weekend

Julian Borger and Angelique Chrisafis in Biarritz
Fri 23 Aug 2019 14.06 BST First published on Fri 23 Aug 2019 13.07 BST

France and Ireland have said they will oppose an EU trade deal with South American countries unless Brazil takes action to stop the burning of the Amazon.

On the eve of a meeting of the G7 nations in Biarritz, an Élysée source said Emmanuel Macron thought Brazil’s president, Jair Bolsonaro, “lied” to him at the G20 meeting in Osaka in June about his climate commitments and therefore France would oppose the Mercosur treaty.

“The decisions and comments of Brazil show that President Bolsonaro has decided not to respect his commitments on the climate or biodiversity,” a French official told AFP.

The Mercosur (Southern Common Market) treaty with four Latin American countries – Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay – was signed in June after two decades of negotiation but has not yet been ratified.

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Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/aug/23/ireland-could-oppose-trade-deal-brazil-fails-stop-amazon-fires-leo-varadkar