Lula and Macron spoke at COP-28 about the agreement between Mercosur and the European Union, which was negotiated 20 years ago | Photo: Ludovic Marin/AFP
French President Emmanuel Macron announced this Saturday (2) that he would transfer 500 million euros – roughly R$2.68 billion – to protect the Amazon over the next three years.
“With Brazil we are committed to protecting forests. In the next three years, France will dedicate 500 million euros to its defense,” Macron wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
The statement was accompanied by a photo of President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva at a bilateral meeting at the 2023 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP-28) in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
The announcement was made within hours In a conversation with journalists, Macron criticized the free trade agreement between Mercosur and the European Union.. He said the current version does not take biodiversity and climate into account. The French president explains that the agreement appears contradictory because he does not take into account the environmental policy of the Lula government, which he admires.
Questioned by journalists after Macron’s statements, Lula said his French colleague had the right to think so. “Every country is entitled to a post. France has always been a difficult country to do deals with because France is very protectionist. This is not the same position as the EU.
Lula and Macron spoke at COP-28 about the agreement between Mercosur and the EU, which was negotiated 20 years ago. Brazil is working to open partnerships between blocs. On Friday (1st), Lula addressed the same topic in bilateral meetings with EU representative Ursula van der Leyen and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez.
UK releases more cash to fund Amazon
Also this Saturday (2), the United Kingdom announced an additional allocation of 35 million pounds (about R$215 million) to the Amazon fund, in addition to the 80 million pounds (R$500 million) already announced in May.
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