PATHS FOR A NEW GOVERNMENT

In January 2023, Brazil will have a new President of the Republic. However, “new” may not be the most accurate term. Elected on October 30th, Luís Inácio Lula da Silva will govern the country for the third time. The world is watching with apprehension and attention as the leftist leader takes office. In the messages congratulating him on his election, global leaders and personalities emphasized the urgency of placing the environment at the center of Brazilian government concerns.

In this issue of CHICO, we celebrate the 25th anniversary of the “Water Law” (Law No. 9.433/1997) and open the debate on the new “water framework” project, currently under discussion in the National Congress. If the new government’s priority is, indeed, the environment, as Lula stated during his campaign, the management of water resources needs to be at the forefront of discussions. In the special report “The Water Law and the Water Framework”, experts assess the impact of this project on one of the most advanced water laws in the world.

“It’s a step backward from a step backward. It cancels out all the contemporary measures created under Law No. 9.433/1997. It even allows for the possibility of water resources privatization, which we eliminated with the ‘Water Law’,” commented José Carlos Carvalho, former Minister of the Environment and one of the founders of IBAMA. In the Green Pages, he evaluates the environmental policy of the Bolsonaro government and outlines the challenges Lula will face to restore a positive agenda: “What puts Brazil in the world today is the Amazon.”

In addition to discussing public policies for water management, CHICO visited creative economy initiatives flourishing on the banks of the São Francisco river. We also collected stories from fishermen who are dedicated to preserving the river that sustains them. Plus, we provide exclusive behind-the-scenes access to the filming of the telenovela “Mar do Sertão.”

Filmed in the Catimbau Valley, in Pernambuco, and in the city of Piranhas, in Alagoas, the production of this soap opera focuses on the beauty of the Velho Chico river, which has Always inspired the arts.

Enjoy the reading!

Green pages

Interview: Karla Monteiro

Illustration: Albino Papa

The name of José Carlos Carvalho, a native of Espírito Santo, has become synonymous with environmental management. Born in the small town of Jerônimo Monteiro, he graduated in Forestry Engineering and was one of the founders of the Brazilian Institute of the Environment and Renewable Natural Resources (IBAMA). He also coordinated the studies and project that led to the creation of the State Secretariat for the Environment of Minas Gerais (SEMAD). During Fernando Henrique Cardoso’s government, he served as the Minister of the Environment.

Before heading to the United Nations Conference on Climate Change, COP27, which took place in Egypt in November, Carvalho spoke to CHICO magazine about the challenges of the new government. He warned, “What is at risk is humanity, not the planet.”