TH!NK post

This article is archived. Comments are closed.

Is Marina Silva a good deal?

Published 14th October 2009 - 5 comments - 2825 views -

YES “WI” CAN! The picture was made by the Brazilian blogger Mario Amaya.

"YES 'WI' CAN!" This picture was made by the Brazilian blogger Mario Amaya.

The Brazilian Senator Marina Silva is a well-known figure in international politics with regards to environmental protection. Born in the poor state of Acre, home to the Amazon Forest, she was Brazil’s Environment Minister from 2003 to 2008, during the Lula presidency, when she helped reduce deforestation by 60%. Nevertheless, she resigned after a series of events and difficulties in the government’s environmental agenda.

Marina Silva has considerable support from environmentalists in Brazil and around the world. Currently, there is much discussion that that she might run for the Presidency during the 2010 election in South America’s largest country. When compared with other candidates and politicians, however, she lacks a strong following, but is slowly gaining popularity as Brazilians become more familiar with discourse concerning the environment.

Marina Silva was a very close friend of the rubber tapper Chico Mendes, who was murdered in 1988 because of his opposition to the ranchers who wanted to create open land fields to cattle in the Amazon Forest. Marina amplified the forest people’s fight for preservation in the Senate and in the international community.

Her activist work and restless fight against deforestation and for “environment justice” to the population of the rainforests earned her the Goldman Environmental Prize in 1996 and the 2007 UNEP (United Nations Environment Programme) Champions of the Earth awards. She is among Time Magazine’s Heroes of the Environment 2008, alongside other tireless activists and renowned politicians from various nations. This past June, she was awarded the Sophie Prize, and was also recently awarded The Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation award. She represents the environmental position that the world community expects from Brazil.

Politics anywhere in the world is controversial. When it comes to environmental protection, however, there is far more debate as the investment for green energy is still quite expensive, particularly for developing nations. In Brazil, the government’s actions toward finding a solution for the always controversial deforestation issue lacks efficiency. I’m quite certain that the “climate justice” or “environmental justice” topics will be very present in next year’s election in Brazil.

Although I live in the northeast of the country, I’m well aware of the problems faced by the natives and citizens of the Amazon’s cities and villages in the north. In addition to the impoverishment of the soil and the deforestation for cattle, the condition of these people is quite unbelievable. Marina Silva was once among those people and lived in a state of destitution. Many live in very difficult conditions, while farmers benefit from the cattle and deforestation, and foreign industries are installed in these areas. Then there is the danger associated with covering environmental justice stories. For more information on this topic on a global scale, I suggest you read this recent report by RWB (Reporters without Borders) in the news piece of IFEX.

When Marina received [pt] The Prince Albert II of Monaco Foundation award, she gave a speech criticizing the current Brazilian government’s policies towards the environment. Straightforward as usual, she also agreed with the Greenpeace position and proposal for 0% deforestation in the rainforests of Brazil, and added:

Brazil is contributing with its renewable energetic matrix, with the production of bio-fuels and the recent advances in the fight against the Amazon deforestation. But it still can do much more. The country needs to take on global goals to reduce its emissions of CO2 and to contribute for other developing nations to do the same thing.

I agree with her: much more can be done. Perhaps now is the time for Brazilians to care for others and their fellow citizens in the north. Continuing the work of Lula, Marina brings the hope to consolidate social equality in Brazil, but adds sustainable development as the main topic of her candidacy. As far as I could see, in addition to the preservation of the forest, she intends to try and promote a different lifestyle for those who live in big cities. I’m not sure if she will succeed in this point, not because of her fragile popularity, but because of some Brazilians who look down on others who come from the northern states; that is food for thought and for another blog post.

Words are very powerful in politics. And although President Lula and his candidate, the Chief of Staff Dilma Roussef are very popular, Marina, as well, has a story of poverty and illiteracy and overcame both challenges to become Senator and an award-winning environmentalist. The social appeal for her life story and consequent success will back her candidacy, bring her closer to the people and encourage them to vote for her. In addition, the discussions over Climate Change are growing in the cities and the insult of living in polluted cities is making people change their perspectives towards the current politicians in power.

If I were to picture a scenario where Marina is elected president, I would say Brazil would have more responsible goals for ending deforestation. We would be using the recently discovered oil resources in the “pre-salt” area to finance studies and the development of other green energy sources. Private companies and the PETROBRAS would be under strict rules of environmental protection. As many people are saying, we can’t separate economy from the environment. We might be able to enrich the nation with such resources, but must use them carefully.

We are a nation of natural abundance and if we want to still be this nation, proud of our beautiful landscapes, forests and animals, beaches and population, we must think through what we are doing with such resources and its impact on the population. Politicians need to keep in mind that environmental policies are not solely for preservation, but also to enhance people’s quality of life.

I personally believe that the 2010 election will be decisive to the future of the natural resources in Brazil. The other candidates are far more concerned with economic development and giving concessions to the farmers to transform the forests into landscapes for the sake of progress. Although their speeches say what environmentalists want to hear, they are not the truthful. The differing aspect of Marina is that she has personal experience and ideals of sustainable development. Although political alliances are necessary to build a government coalition and her personal ethics will be put in danger with that, I still believe that Marina Silva will be a good investment for the future of Brazil.

Category: Climate Heroes, Climate Politics, | Tags: politics, brazil, elections, marina silva,



Comments

marcelo prudente on 14th October 2009:

WOW! adorei o texto! Diego sempre surpreendendo, seja pelo seu ativismo, quanto pela sutileza grandiosa dos seus textos! Super Parabens!

Simone on 15th October 2009:

Hi, Diego.

Terrific post!!!

I read your it last night (late at night) and figure I would write a comment this morning. Of course, I didn’t. lol (I am usually running late, even if I wake up early!)
Anyway, I read an article (during the day) about Serra defending the environmental changes (against Dilma’s position) and I would love to know your opinion on that.

You raise very good points on Marina candidacy. I still have not made up my mind as far as the 2010 elections, but she is certainly one of my favorite options.

I would love to see the community supporting Marina, making her rise from “nowhere”(she’s mildly known in Brazil, right?) to a place where she will be able to compete with whoever else will be runing.

The photo that compares her with Obama, is awesome. I think that the way to go. The only thing is that it will be hard raising funds when the environmental issue is such a great theme in her campaign and, unfortunately, many companies and individuals do not share the view (despite the times we live in).

Still, I think that the community leaders can help with this. I saw today a great post on Riogringa’s blog that explains the project to help the favela people have their voices heard in the Olympics. Why not have something similar for Marina? It’s a great idea. A community effort.

Also, what really concerns me about her is that PV, her party, has as the president a Sarney…. but that’s politics. Also, what abut her health? To know who will be the vice is crucial as well.

Abhishek Nayak on 15th October 2009:

It’ll be exceptionally progressive of brazil to elect her! She is no doubt an environmental rock star, which means the rich and the powerful must despise her.
I bet other politicians won’t lose much time in portraying her as weak on her economic growth stance, with little potential for increasing employment and attracting foreign investment. I might just be being too cynical though.

Diego Casaes Silva on 15th October 2009:

@Simone Thanks for the comment! I love your ideas and opinions and I’m glad you commented here!

Although Serra is not the best candidate, he will use the Environment in its candidacy. He is very smart and knows that people will vote for him if he changes this speech to please others. That’s the thing in politics regarding the environment that really annoys me actually. There are so many politicians who “think green” during the campaign and deceive people in their mandates.

I think we need to learn to combine many topics: environment, politics, economy, sustainability. Everything is related, but the superficiality of theses discussions are dangerous, since many politicians can take advantage out of that.

I wonder how does this work in other countries? How do you see that in the US?

@Abhishek Indeed, but not only the politicians. I’m not sure if the mainstream media will back her candidacy, as it is usual thing to do around here. The media does not like Lula very much, they rather support the right-wing parties.

I’m sure they’ll manage to mystify her candidacy and her life story, hence saying she only cares for the forest and for wild life.

Paul Montariol on 09th November 2009:

Your country is very young; You are not afraid by the risk.
Ayrton Senna is Brazilian!
You can a lot.

This article is archived. Comments are closed.