Earth Day “celebrations”

This week, the world celebrates on April 22 what is known as International Earth Day — a yearly global call to action that unites and encourages nations to confront environmental challenges head-on.

In Brazil, this pivotal date unfolds into Earth Week, an opportunity for organizations, media, and government entities to converge in a collective environment-committed effort. 

Yet, this year’s momentum seems stymied, especially within Brazil’s borders. Past administrations prioritized profits over environmental preservation, leaving critical issues unresolved. Regrettably, the current administration has yet to demonstrate enough meaningful progress.

Merely weeks ago, promises made to indigenous communities regarding land rights were left unfulfilled. This failure deepens existing challenges in land and biome protection, particularly in the northern states and Legal Amazon territories, where landowners exploit resources for cattle ranching and mining — while menacing the lives of indigenous communities and the country’s vast biodiversity.

In a country actively discussing energy transition and initiatives to boost electric vehicle adoption, addressing inherited environmental issues should stand atop the agenda.

With Brazil set to host COP30 in Belém at the end of next year, concerns loom regarding existing shortcomings that may impede the event’s success. 

We hope that this serves as a rallying cry for Brazil to confront its environmental challenges head-on, rather than relegating them to the sidelines.

Check out the creation of this cartoon on The Brazilian Report’s TikTok account (@brazilianreport).

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