ABSTRACT
The election of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (“Lula”) over Jair Bolsonaro is a great relief to all those concerned with the environment and human rights in Brazilian Amazonia. Nevertheless, while Lula has promised much-needed actions to repress illegal deforestation and mining and to join global efforts to combat climate change, both the history of his two past presidential administrations and various recent public statements indicate areas of concern for the environment in Amazonia. One is Amazonian hydroelectric dams since Lula championed Belo Monte and other dams with severe impacts on the environment and indigenous peoples. Another is the planned Highway BR-319 reconstruction project that would open a vast area to the entry of deforesters. A third concern is the proposed Amazon gas and oil projects, both on land and in the Amazon estuary. A fourth concern is the likely favouring of tree plantations over preventing the loss of the original forest. A fifth concern surrounds plans for the production of biofuels, and a sixth and most delicate issue is the legalisation of illegal land claims, both large and small. All these issues have serious consequences in Amazonia, and their impacts cannot be prevented by plans to bring “governance” to the region.
