Brazil will be climate leader, says ex-minister Marina Silva

By PETER PRENGAMAN
Associated Press

SHARM el-SHEIKH, Egypt (AP) — Marina Silva, a former environmental minister, has a message for the U.N. climate summit: Brazil is back when it comes to protecting the Amazon, the largest rainforest in the world that is crucial to staving off the worst effects of climate change. The recent election win of leftist President-elect Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who takes office Jan. 1, represents a potentially huge shift in how Brazil manages the forest compared to current President Jair Bolsonaro. But challenges to achieve some of da Silva’s goals will be large, as there are many pressures to develop the Amazon. Da Silva is expected to attend the climate summit, known as COP27, next week.