People Before Profit TD Bríd Smith has called on the Ambassador of Brazil to Ireland, Eliana Zugaib, to appear in front of the Oireachtas committee on Climate Action to answer questions about fires that have been raging in the Amazon rain forest.
The TD said: “I have asked the Dáil Climate Action committee to call on the Brazilian ambassador to appear before the committee to answer questions about the policies and public statements of Jair Bolsonaro who wants to tear down the rainforest, the lungs of the earth, for agricultural use.
“Bolsonaro’s policies, climate change denial and public statements are dangerous and we are now seeing the bitter fruit of this.
“We must also note that the Mercosur trade deal has incentivised forces around Bolsonaro to press ahead with the destruction of the Amazon and the people who live there.
“These fires are an attack on the climate, environment and indigenous people who live on these lands.
“It is time the international community stood up as one and denounces Bolsonao’s climate change denial and pro-business policies that will destroy the Amazon.”
