Brazil's Bolsonaro hikes environmental fines to protect Amazon rainforest

25/5/2022 12:42

        Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro signed a decree on Tuesday to step up fines for environmental crimes, according to the official government gazette, in a move to allow more aggressive protection of the Amazon rainforest.
        
        Reuters exclusively reported earlier in the day that Bolsonaro was expected to sign the executive order as soon as Tuesday.
        
        The decree raises the potential value of fines for falsifying documents to cover up illegal logging, clarifies heavier consequences for repeat environmental offenders and will help to reduce the backlog of fines pending collection.
        
        Environmental fines - which also target infractions such as unauthorized hunting, fishing and pollution - are one of Brazil's key tools for combating illegal deforestation.