Biden to Pledge $500 Million to Stop Deforestation in Brazil

WASHINGTON – The Biden administration on Thursday will pledge $500 million over five years to fight deforestation in Brazil, a White House official said, in a move that would make the United States the largest donor to the global Amazon Fund.

But that pledge requires approval from Congress, where Republicans strongly oppose international climate aid and make it difficult for President Biden to keep his promise to help poor countries deal with climate change.

Brazil’s president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, has cooperated with the Biden administration on a number of issues, including climate change, although Mr Lula has criticized US support for Ukraine during its war with Russia.

The Amazon Fund, a conservation program, was established by Brazil in 2008 and has reversed efforts to prevent deforestation in the world’s largest rainforest. Norway, the first and largest contributor to the fund, has contributed more than $1.2 billion. Germany recently announced a donation of $217 million.

But the funding was suspended before Lula’s president, Jair Bolsonaro, undermined environmental protection and saw the average annual rate of deforestation rise, reaching levels not seen by the country in more than a decade.

Mr. Lula took office in January promising to end deforestation in the Amazon by 2030. But his administration has had a rough start. Preliminary data shows that the rate of deforestation continues to rise, as the government tries to rebuild environmental protection.

The Amazon plays an important role in regulating the water cycle, stabilizing the climate and absorbing carbon dioxide. According to one estimate, there are 150 billion to 200 billion metric tons of carbon locked up in forests. But when trees are cut down, parts of the forest now emit more carbon dioxide than they absorb.

John Kerry, President Biden’s special envoy for climate change, is expected to announce the pledge at a meeting in Washington of representatives of some of the world’s largest economies. The White House said in a fact sheet that the pledge was “in the context of Brazil’s new commitment to end deforestation by 2030.” The US also expects to call on other countries to contribute the funds.

“It’s a lot of money,” said Suely Araújo, a policy expert at the Climate Observatory, an environmental group in Brazil. “This is a sign of confidence in the new administration, that they can manage this, and work to control deforestation.”

“I hope Congress approves it,” said Ms. Araújo. “It’s really needed for what Brazil needs to do.”

Mr. Biden pledged to give $11.4 billion a year in international climate aid by 2024, but so far he is nowhere near that target. Last year Congress approved just $1 billion — despite Democratic control of the House and Senate.

“We are working hard to try to achieve those goals and implement the president’s promises,” said Sarah Ladislaw, special assistant to Mr. Biden and senior director for climate and energy at the White House National Security Council. .

With Republicans now in control of the House and Democrats holding a slim majority in the Senate, getting approval for additional money for things like the Amazon Fund will be an uphill battle.

But at least for one thing, the Biden administration has found a way to fight Republican opposition.

Last year, Republicans cut the government’s promised funding to the Green Climate Fund, a program led by the United Nations to help poor countries transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy and increase resilience to climate disasters. On Thursday, the administration is expected to send $1 billion in funds, tapping discretionary funds at the State Department, according to administration officials.