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A28 WORLD NEWS
Wednesday 15 July 2020
Brazil sacks official after soaring June deforestation data

By DAVID BILLER and that it kept climbing. Mar-
MAURICIO SAVARESE cio Astrini, the executive-
Associated Press secretary of the Brazilian
RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Bra- Climate Observatory, a
zil's government on Mon- coalition of civil society
day fired an official at the groups, alleged that the
national space agency government has previously
Inpe whose department made clear its desire to in-
is responsible for satellite tervene in Inpe.
monitoring of the Amazon "The removal of Lubia
rainforest, just three days Vinhas could be an indi-
after the release of June cation that the plan was
deforestation data reflect- never abandoned. This is
ed a continued increase in happening as deforesta-
degradation. tion accelerates, when the
Lubia Vinhas was the gen- administration needs to
eral-coordinator of Brazil- stop threats of divestment,"
ian space agency Inpe's Astrini said in a statement.
Earth Observation Institute, Suely Vaz, former head
which is an umbrella for di- of environment regula-
visions that monitor the Am- tor IBAMA, said before the
azon and panels to debate release of the June data
climate change with civil that the army isn't using
society organizations. In this Sept. 2, 2019 file photo, logs are stacked at a lumber mill surrounded by recently charred the technical planning and
It's unclear whether the re- and deforested fields near Porto Velho, Rondonia state, Brazil. Associated Press intelligence required, nor
moval of Vinhas from her are they trained in such
position was connected cy last year. President Jair georeferencing database. ardship just ahead of the methods to stop defores-
to the data. Her subordi- Bolsonaro is a critic of envi- Inpe figures published on so-called burning season, tation. She added that it
nate who heads the divi- ronmentalists and defends Friday showed 400 square during which landholders costs more than $10 million
sion directly overseeing fostering more economic miles (1,034 square kilome- use fire to clear brush and per month for the army to
satellite monitoring of Ama- development in the Ama- ters) of deforestation in the forest. operate in the Amazon
zon deforestation remains zon, which many adversar- Amazon in June, a new re- That includes asset manag- -- more than half what IB-
employed. Inpe said in a ies see as a nod to illegal cord the month since data ers who say they are assess- AMA spends on oversight in
statement posted to its miners and loggers. started being gathered in ing whether to divest from a year. In the midst of the
website Monday night that Vinhas was picked in 2018 2015. Brazil and last week spoke international outcry over
the change was part of a for a four-year but Science Total deforestation in the with the environment minis- the Amazon fires in August,
shake-up at the agency to and Technology Minister Brazilian Amazon from ter and Vice President Gen. Bolsonaro accused the
improve synergies. Marcos Pontes decided to January to June was 1,890 Hamilton Mourão, . then-head of Brazil's space
Still, the timing of the dis- remove her after 2 years square miles (3,069 square Bolsonaro also put the research institute, Ricardo
missal -- coming on the and 3 months on the job. kilometers), up 25% from Army in charge of efforts to Galvão, of manipulating
heels of June data -- drew Inpe said in its statement the same six-month period curb deforestation in May satellite deforestation data
an outcry from environ- that Vinhas' former depart- last year. after last year's fires pushed in order to undermine his
mentalists who claim it may ment will be merged with Outside observers are destruction to the highest administration. Galvão
be an echo of a high-pro- others, and she will oversee keeping close tabs on Bra- level in 11 years. publicly countered the
file firing at the same agen- implementation of a new zil's environmental stew- Yet data from Inpe show claims, and was fired.q

Brazil sacks official after soaring June deforestation data

is responsible for satellite lite monitoring of Ama- illegal miners and loggers.
monitoring of the Amazon zon deforestation remains Vinhas was picked in 2018
rainforest, just three days employed. Inpe said in a for a four-year but Science
after the release of June statement posted to its and Technology Minister
deforestation data reflect- website Monday night that Marcos Pontes decided to
ed a continued increase in the change was part of a remove her after 2 years
degradation. shake-up at the agency to and 3 months on the job.
Lubia Vinhas was the gen- improve synergies. Inpe said in its statement
eral-coordinator of Brazil- Still, the timing of the dis- that Vinhas' former depart-
ian space agency Inpe's missal -- coming on the ment will be merged with
Earth Observation Institute, heels of June data -- drew others, and she will over-
which is an umbrella for an outcry from environ- see implementation of a
divisions that monitor the mentalists who claim it new georeferencing data-
Amazon and panels to de- may be an echo of a high- base.
In this Sept. 2, 2019 file photo, logs are stacked at a lumber bate climate change with profile firing at the same Inpe figures published on
mill surrounded by recently charred and deforested fields near civil society organizations. agency last year. President Friday showed 400 square
Porto Velho, Rondonia state, Brazil. It's unclear whether the re- Jair Bolsonaro is a critic of miles (1,034 square kilome-
Associated Press
moval of Vinhas from her environmentalists and de- ters) of deforestation in the
By DAVID BILLER and MAU- zil's government on Mon- position was connected to fends fostering more eco- Amazon in June, a new re-
RICIO SAVARESE day fired an official at the the data. Her subordinate nomic development in the cord the month since data
Associated Press national space agency who heads the division Amazon, which many ad- started being gathered in
RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Bra- Inpe whose department directly overseeing satel- versaries see as a nod to 2015.q