Bolsonaro has rolled back environmental enforcement and called for construction on protected areas since taking office in 2019, contributing to a surge in deforestation and wildfires in the Amazon rainforest and other biomes seen as critical to curbing climate change.
Seven state leaders from the Governors for Climate alliance presented a list of projects to Kerry in the virtual meeting, according to statements from governors following the meeting. Kerry discussed how the U.S. can support Brazil’s efforts to fight illegal deforestation, its programs to mitigate climate change and its goal of reaching net-zero greenhouse gas emissions, a State Department spokesperson said.
The meeting comes after at least 23 state governors in the alliance sent a letter to U.S. President Joe Biden in April signaling a desire to cooperate on sustainability initiatives in light of the “climate emergency.”
