Quemando la Amazonia

The document analyzes the 2019 Amazon fires as a result of corporate power and the expansion of the agricultural frontier, specifically linked to the interests of transnational corporations (TNCs). It contends that the EU-Mercosur Free Trade Agreement will exacerbate this trend by increasing demand for commodities like soy and beef, leading to further deforestation and human rights violations. The report criticizes the Bolsonaro administration for dismantling environmental protections and argues that the agreement's environmental clauses are non-binding and insufficient to prevent climate catastrophe.

• The 2019 Amazon fires were not isolated events but part of a coordinated process of illegal logging, burning, and land monopolization for cattle and export crops such as soy, corn, and rice.
• In August 2019, there were approximately 31,000 fire outbreaks in the Brazilian Amazon, representing a 34% increase compared to August 2018.
• Violence against rural workers and indigenous peoples is highly concentrated in the Amazon; in 2019, 84% of rural murders and 73% of attempted murders occurred in this region.
• The EU-Mercosur Free Trade Agreement is expected to increase global greenhouse gas emissions by 8.7 million tons per year due to the impact of eight specific agricultural products, including beef, soy, and ethanol.
• The agreement would significantly increase trade liberalization, with 99% of Brazilian exports to the EU potentially becoming exempt from taxes if partial releases are included.
• The environmental clause in the EU-Mercosur agreement, which references the Paris Agreement, is considered non-binding and a form of deregulation that does not allow for the imposition of compliance through the trade deal.
• The Brazilian government under Bolsonaro has systematically weakened environmental oversight by firing the director of INPE, reducing FUNAI's budget by 90%, and transferring environmental inspection decisions to the military.
• The report highlights that women are disproportionately affected by the expansion of large-scale corporate projects in the Amazon, such as the Belo Monte dam, where they face increased burdens and violations of rights.
• The agreement may facilitate the sale of European pesticides to Brazil, as the 'Precautionary Principle' included in the text cannot be used to create unjustified trade barriers.

APA

Friends of the Earth International (2020). Quemando la Amazonia. https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Quemando-la-Amazonia_Amigos-de-la-Tierra-Internacional_ES.pdf

Chicago

Friends of the Earth International. Quemando la Amazonia. 2020. https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Quemando-la-Amazonia_Amigos-de-la-Tierra-Internacional_ES.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Friends of the Earth International |title=Quemando la Amazonia |date=2020 |url=https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Quemando-la-Amazonia_Amigos-de-la-Tierra-Internacional_ES.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{friendsoftheearthinternational2020quemando, author = {{Friends of the Earth International}}, title = {{Quemando la Amazonia}}, institution = {Friends of the Earth International}, year = {2020}, url = {https://www.foei.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Quemando-la-Amazonia_Amigos-de-la-Tierra-Internacional_ES.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }