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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BRASILIA 000395 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OREP PGOV PREL AMGT BR
SUBJECT:  CODEL MARKEY VISIT TO BRASILIA 
 
REF: STATE 13602 
 
¶1.  SUMMARY.  Codel Markey visited Brazil February 15-21.  The CODEL 
began its visit in Manaus where it received briefings on 
environmental issues focusing on the effects of climate change on 
the Amazon rainforest.  It then proceeded to Rio de Janeiro 
(reported septel) to focus on alternative fuels, particularly 
ethanol.  February 19-21, the Codel stopped in Brasilia, where it 
represented the U.S. Congress at the GLOBE Legislators Forum on 
Climate Change and met with counterparts from the Brazilian Chamber 
of Deputies.  The Codel also met with Minister of the Environment 
Marina Silva, Ministry of External Relations Under Secretary for 
Policy (including climate change policy) Everton Vargas, and with 
representatives of NGOs involved with climate change and the 
environment. END SUMMARY. 
 
Manaus 
------ 
¶2.  The Codel's visit to Brazil began in Manaus, where members 
visited the Amazon Research Institute's (INPA) Science Woods 
research facility and heard briefings on the ecology of the 
rainforest and the environmental challenges of deforestation. 
Researchers discussed the potential impacts of global climate change 
on the rainforest and the difficulties of balancing economic 
development and preservation of the environment.  Codel members also 
had the opportunity to observe INPA's efforts to preserve threatened 
and endangered species such as the giant river otter and the fresh 
water manatee.  The Codel then traveled up the river Negro for a 
first hand view of the rainforest and the riverine wetlands, 
including observation of caiman lizards and pink river dolphins. 
 
Meeting with the Chairman of Chamber of Deputies 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
 
¶3. After arrival in Brasilia, the Codel met with Arlindo Chinaglia, 
President of the Chamber of Deputies, in his office, as well as at 
breakfast with several other senators and deputies.  Chinaglia 
underscored his interest in establishing a permanent working group 
on climate change, deforestation, and biofuels between the Brazilian 
Congress and the U.S. Congress.  He said he had raised this idea 
with Speaker Nancy Pelosi, whom he met last year, and she seemed 
receptive.  In the short term, he would like to organize a 
U.S.-Brazil bilateral congressional seminar on biofuels and global 
warming, and later hold a similar, expanded event to include 
Argentina and other countries.  Chinaglia and the other Brazilian 
legislators highlighted Brazil's prowess with biofuels and success 
in reducing the rate of deforestation in recent years. 
 
Meeting with Ministry of External Relations 
------------------------------------------- 
 
¶4. Ministry of External Relations (MRE) Under Secretary for 
Political Affairs, Ambassador Everton Vargas, stressed the 
centrality of the principle "common, but differentiated 
responsibilities" in addressing global climate change.  Vargas is a 
pivotal figure on Brazil's climate change negotiating team.  While 
Brazil should not be expected to assume the obligations of developed 
countries, Vargas assured that it would try to do its part in the 
global effort.  He noted the reduction in the rate of deforestation 
in recent years, and also the successful biofuels program.  Vargas 
heard that some U.S. legislators might try to include in climate 
change legislation, such as the various cap-and-trade bills now in 
Congress, a link or pre-condition between U.S. actions and other 
countries - such as Brazil - assuming obligations.  He strongly 
urged the CODEL to resist including such a link or pre-condition. 
 
Meeting with Environment Ministry officials 
------------------------------------------- 
 
¶5.  Minister of the Environment Minister Marina Silva, her senior 
climate change adviser Thelma Krug, and her head of the recently 
created Brazilian Forest Service, Tasso Azevedo informed the Codel 
of the progress that had been made in recent years in reducing the 
rate of deforestation in the Amazon.  Silva and Azevedo noted that 
in light of a jump in the rate in the last five months of 2007, the 
government was redoubling its efforts to increase monitoring and 
enforcement of the laws against deforestation.  Silva said that they 
had arrested over 600 people last year, including about 100 corrupt 
government employees.  Azevedo described improvements in monitoring 
of the forest through high-resolution satellites and also more 
frequent, low resolution satellites.  He requested the delegation's 
help with acquiring the high-resolution satellite photos, which the 
Forest Service had limited resources to purchase.  Azevedo also 
described a new forest concession system that his organization 
 
BRASILIA 00000395  002 OF 002 
 
 
supervised. 
 
Meeting with NGO representatives 
-------------------------------- 
 
¶6.  The Codel met with representatives of various non-governmental 
organizations (NGOs), who generally painted a much bleaker picture 
of the situation in the Amazon.  They thought the government had 
insufficient resources to monitor and enforce the laws in the 
Amazon.  They stressed that what is needed were changes to the 
current economic patterns in the Amazon.  Currently, little or no 
value is placed on standing forests.  Dan Nepstad of Woods Hole, 
Paulo Moutinho of the Amazon Research Institute (IPAM), and Dan 
Zarin of the University of Florida opined on the need to put a value 
on the environmental services provided by a forest; John Carter of 
Alliance for the Earth underscored the lawlessness around his farm 
in the Amazon. 
 
GLOBE Legislators Forum 
------------------------ 
 
¶7.  The Codel represented the U.S. Congress at a meeting of the 
GLOBE International Legislators Forum on climate change, which met 
in Brasilia February 19-21.  The Forum included representatives from 
the G-8 countries plus five (Brazil, China, India, South Africa, and 
Mexico).  The GLOBE Forum considered various papers on climate 
change, forests, and biofuels.  When finalized, these papers will be 
presented to the G-8 Gleneagles process.  Chairman Markey made an 
intervention at the Forum; he highlighted the Congress's passage of 
the Clean Energy Act in 2007, which raised the mileage standards, 
and discussed various bills on climate change now in the U.S. 
Congress.  He expressed his views on the direction the likely 
legislation to be enacted by the U.S. Congress in the next couple of 
years and on the probable approach the next administration would 
take with regard to climate change. 
 
SOBEL