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URGENT AMAZON FOREST ALERT

[UPDATE 20 May 2011: The Guardian UK reports, "Brazil forms 'crisis cabinet' following unexpected deforestation surge".]

Events are moving quickly in Brazil's epic battle over a new national Forest Code. The struggle has has reached a critical stage full of both danger and opportunity. Please take action.

EMERGENCY -- BRAZIL'S NATIONAL MONITORING AGENCY JUST CONFIRMED THAT RECENT DEFORESTATION HAS JUMPED 473 PERCENT. THE SITUATION IS CRITICAL.

[Reuters reportagem em Português]

Sign the international petition to defend Brazil's forests.

If you would rather sign a petition in Portuguese, here is one from avaaz.

The recent monitoring reports of both the government and the environmental NGOs showed prelimary data of a huge surge in deforestation as agribusiness and the ruralist coalition push to deforest and create a new code of amnesty for the forest destroyers. Today's release of frightening new data shows how aggressive the large farmers and agribusiness are. PLEASE ACT NOW.

The Dilma government has been caught between its desire for for rapid economic development and its desire to maintain its green image to the international community where it has pledged to reduce emissions from deforestation and to maintain biodiversity. Additionally, it wants to showcase its "greenness" at the upcoming 2012 "Rio+20" world environment conference. Indeed, on the advice of its Foreign Ministry, the Dilma leadership delayed the recent Forest Code debate (google translation from Portuguese) in Congress in order to revise its position.

The good news it that IBAMA (the national environment protection agency) has just announced a new policy of zero deforestation. The future of the forest hangs between this positive initiative and the reckless campaign of ruralista deforestation. This is the defining moment!

[Update: Here are the latest reports on deforestation and the new IBAMA policy.]

ACT NOW. Sign the petition in English or in Portuguese to defend Brazil's forests.