Carlos Minc, the new Brazilian Environment Minister has called for a critical deal struck by Greenpeace and McDonald's to stop the deforestation of the Amazon rainforest for soya, to be replicated for the beef and timber industries. Yesterday (17th June) the deal was extended by a year despite concerns that soya barons and rising commodity prices would threatened it. Along with soya farming, cattle ranching and logging are the main forces driving Amazon destruction. Greenpeace believes a "firewall" of moratoria on soya, beef and timber could the key to achieving the protection needed to save the Amazon rainforest.

Paulo Adario, Director of Greenpeace's Amazon campaign said:

"Minc's words indicate a promising approach by the Brazilian government. If an Amazon deforestation firewall is created, with a series of moratoria covering soya, timber and beef, this could buy the necessary time to put in place permanent protection; protection for the forest, the biodiversity, the people and ultimately the climate. Greenpeace will hold Minc to his words and stands ready to help in any way possible. The current challenges for the soya industry and the government to implement their commitments remain tough, and they include the major task of mapping rural properties and ownership in the Amazon. A one year extension may not be long enough to build the tools necessary to ensure that soya production does not result in further deforestation."

Note to the editor:

Translation of Minc's quote: "The moratorium is a successful initiative by civil society and the soya industry. The Federal Government is entering the process now and is committed to register and license all rural properties in the Amazon biome," Minc told reporters. "Inspired by the success of this initiative, the Brazilian government is negotiating similar approaches with the timber and beef industries."

A critical deal struck by Greenpeace and McDonald's to stop deforestation of the Amazon rainforest for soya has been extended by a year. There had been concerns that pressure from soya barons and rising commodity prices would have threatened the deal.

The announcement was made at a press conference in Brasilia by the soya traders association (called ABIOVE), together with Brazil's new Environment Minister Carlos Minc, Greenpeace and other NGOs.

The moratorium prohibits the purchase of soya from newly deforested areas in the Amazon, or from farmers using indentured or forced labourers. It was first agreed in 2006 and was the direct result of a three year Greenpeace investigation into the links between soya and rainforest destruction, documented in the report "Eating up the Amazon" (1). The study documented illegal deforestation and the use of slave labour in the soya industry, and tracked Amazon soya from the rainforest to consumers' plates in Europe. As a result McDonald's and other multi-nationals joined Greenpeace in calling for the moratorium on the expansion of soya farming into untouched areas of rainforest in Brazil.

The moratorium extension will now run until July 2009 and was warmly welcomed by an alliance of soya consumer companies, led by McDonalds, Marks & Spencer, ASDA and Carrefour in a joint statement, who have also renewed their commitment to remaining actively engaged in this process.

This success is despite the fact that several soya producers had begun using rising agricultural commodity prices and global demand for grain to pressure ABIOVE and traders not to extend the moratorium. A handful had even used the global food crisis to justify further Amazon deforestation.

"The decision to extend the moratorium against the backdrop of rising commodity prices and the food crises shows that government and industry now understand that it is possible to protect the forest, combat climate change and still ensure food production," said Paulo Adario coordinator of Greenpeace's Amazon campaign.

Greenpeace, together with other NGOs, will continue to help ABIOVE to bring effective governance to the soya industry in the Amazon. Greenpeace warns however, that a one year extension may not be long enough to develop the vital tools necessary to ensure that soya production does not result in further deforestation. (2) The organisation also believes that the ongoing involvement of the Brazilian government is key to providing the framework essential for farmers to comply with the law. (3)

In response to the active participation of Brazil's Environment Minister in the announcement, Adario continued, "We are delighted to see the new Environment Minister take an active role in ensuring the continuation of the moratorium. Such high level support helps ABIOVE and the traders convince farmers to support the initiative. His support also serves as a warning to those who continue to destroy forests that their soya will be rejected by the market."

Tropical forest destruction is responsible for nearly one-fifth of global greenhouse gas emissions, second only to the energy sector. 75% of Brazil's emissions come from forest destruction, making it the world's fourth largest greenhouse gas emitter.

For more information contact:

Greenpeace UK Press Office _+44 207 865 8225

Tica Minami, press officer for Greenpeace Amazon: + 55 92 8114 4517

Paulo Adario, Greenpeace Amazon Director: + 31 6 46 23 36 95 or +55 92 8115 8928

Daniela Montalto, Greenpeace International campaigner: + 31 6 46 16 20 33

Background images and footage available:
Greenpeace International photo desk: + 44 7801 615 889
Greenpeace International video desk: + 31 6 46 16 20 15

Notes to the editor:

(1) http://www.greenpeace.org/international/...

(2) On June 3, 2008, the Brazilian Space Agency INPE showed that interim Amazon deforestation statistics increased from 145 km2 in March to 1,423 km2 in April 2008. More than 70% of the deforestation occurred in Mato Grosso which is the largest soya producing state in Brazil.

(4) Effective measures to tackle deforestation include mapping rural properties and ownership; curbing illegal occupation of public land; harsh penalties for illegal deforestation; driving development to areas away from the rainforest and increasing support to sustainable activities. The System of Environmental Licensing of Rural Properties, a mechanism that enables authorities to monitor farms using geo-referenced maps and satellite imagery, must be implemented.