Tuesday, 24 August 2010 09:51

United States and Brazil signed an agreement to redeem a debt of $ 21 million for protection of forests in three Brazilian ecosystems threatened. The agreement will allow Brazil's debt, which dates from the 1960s, is used to protect the environment in the Mata Atlantica, the Cerrado and the Caatinga, three ecosystems that receive little international assistance. The Environment Minister, Izabella Teixeira, said that the first disbursement of $ 6.7 million, will be held in October, and the remaining amount will be repaid until 2015.

"It is a bilateral commitment of our two countries to benefit these three ecosystems that need resources," said Lisa Kubiske, chargé d'affaires at the U.S. embassy to sign the agreement.


In the case of the Atlantic Forest is a forest that covered almost the entire Brazilian coast, but currently only 7.3% is still standing in its original cover, while the Cerrado and the Caatinga are two types of tropical savanna ranging from the midwest to the northeast of Brazil, and threats faced by agricultural expansion.


The resources come from loans contracted by Brazil with the U.S. agency cooperation (USAID) in various projects unrelated to environmental protection. Brazil had canceled more than $ 100 million of debt and was paying on time commitment, according to authorities.


"Instead of continuing to direct that money to pay the debt, will lead to environmental protection," said Minister Teixeira.


The exchange was made possible by the law of conservation of tropical forests, adopted by the United States in 1988, which allowed the U.S. government to exchange $ 239 million with 15 other countries including Colombia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Panama, Paraguay and Peru.