Brazil has defended its efforts to fight destruction of the Amazon rainforest despite delays in creating promised new reserves.
The government set a target of 33 million acres of environmental reserves in 2004, after Amazon destruction last year reached its second-highest level – 5.9 million acres. But so far, just 1.58 million acres have been earmarked for protection.
Brazilian environment minister Marina Silva defended the government’s record, saying it took time to build areas that could protect the rainforest as well as people’s livelihoods. She said big reserves were on the horizon.
The environment ministry believes months of consultations with local people and governments are needed to establish reserves.
However, environmentalists say the government has yet to create reserves which provide total environmental protection and agencies lack resources to run existing protected areas.
