Deforestación amazónica

Amazon deforestation

Las autoridades brasileñas dicen que 756 kilómetros cuadrados de selva se perdieron en el mes de agosto.

The Brazilian environment minister has promised to publish today the names of the 100 people responsible for the largest acts of illegal deforestation in the Amazon. He promises to step up action to prevent destruction of the world's largest tropical forest. Here's Tim Hirsch:

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It's more than eight months since the Brazilian government announced a package of measures to combat deforestation, after satellite observations showed the rate of destruction in the Amazon was picking up again. So far, there's been little evidence of a slowdown, despite a string of raids on illegal sawmills and moves to cut off credit to farmers operating outside the law.

The latest initiative concentrates on the impunity with which illegal deforestation is still carried out in Brazil, according to the government's own account. The environment minister Carlos Minc reckons that only one in ten offenders is prosecuted and fewer than one in 200 convicted in the courts.

As well as naming the top 100 deforesters, Mr Minc is planning to set up a task force with the prosecuting authorities and environmental enforcement agencies, to ensure that more are brought to justice. He's also promised to step up efforts to bring greater legality to farming and forestry activities in the regions of the Amazon where most deforestation has taken place.

Tim Hirsch, BBC News, Sao Paulo

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a package of measures to combat deforestation
un paquete de medidas para combatir la deforestación

picking up
(la tasa de deforestación ha ido) aumentando

a string
una serie (de redadas policiales)

sawmills
aserraderos o madereras

moves to cut off credit
medidas para recortar el crédito

outside the law
(campesinos que operan) fuera de la ley

impunity
(una iniciativa para poner fin a la) impunidad

to set up a task force
formar un destacamento o un grupo de trabajo

brought to justice
llevados ante los tribunales

to step up efforts
intensificar o redoblar los esfuerzos

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