The Minister of the Federal Supreme Court (STF) Flávio Dino ordered this Thursday (19) the government of the state of São Paulo to send information on the fight against fires in the Cerrado and the Atlantic Forest. The state Department of the Environment must present a report with a detailed explanation of the budgetary execution of the environmental protection programs for 2023 and 2024. In addition, the department will have to deliver a list of all environmental areas that are protected.
The Environmental Company of the State of São Paulo (Cetesb) must present the authorizations issued in the last five years for the controlled use of fire in burning sugar cane straw.
The measure was taken based on an action filed by PSOL. The party claims that the devastation of biomes is recurrent and that there are omissions in combating the recent fires that occurred this year. Furthermore, PSOL states that there is a reduction in the amount allocated to fighting fires for next year.
“The Annual Budget Bill (PLOA) sent to the Legislative Assembly of São Paulo (Alesp) provides a budget of R$ 2.9 million for the Civil Defense São Paulo Sem Fogo program, aimed at preventing and combating forest fires . This value is 10% lower than that predicted by the previous year’s PLOA – R$ 3.3 million”, stated the caption.
In the minister’s opinion, it is essential that environmental inspection and control are reinforced to avoid new fire outbreaks in 2025. “This need arises from the persistent challenges related to containing these occurrences, which require continuous planning, effective public policies and harmonious integration between the federative entities and the different sectors of society”, said Dino.
In March this year, the STF also determined that the federal government will have to meet targets against deforestation in the Amazon, through the fifth phase of the Action Plan for the Prevention and Control of Deforestation in the Amazon (PPCDAm). Furthermore, there are measures to combat fires that must be followed.
The case reached the STF in 2020. In the judged actions, political parties demanded that former president Jair Bolsonaro take action against deforestation in the Amazon. The plan was resumed in June last year by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
