In February this year, I went to the Amazon to help monitor new deforestation for soya and to make a film to document it. Flying over the forest frontier and seeing how huge soya farms cut into it, I experienced a feeling of dread. I knew that current industry agreements forced by Greenpeace such as the soya moratorium and enforcement by the authorities in Brazil, were just about holding back the tide of deforestation. But I also knew that plans by the agribusiness lobby in Congress could soon open the flood gates.
These plans involve decimating the laws that govern forest protection in Brazil. At the same as I was flying over the Amazon, a new Forest Code was being pushed through Congress that would severely weaken protection for the rainforest and open up vast areas to destruction.
Fast forward to May and this destructive new law has almost been passed. Right now, the only thing standing between the Amazon rainforest and the chainsaws is Brazilian President Dilma. She can protect the Amazon by vetoing this new Forest Code. You can send her a message now and let her know we all have a stake in protecting this amazing ecosystem.
