Brazil

Bolsonaro’s last trick is not exactly what you’d think

In spite of Lula da Silva’s victory in the latest presidential rally, the last month of Bolsonaro’s maladministration might impact Brazil for decades Picture yourself: you finally got the funds to accomplish the project you’ve been dreaming for the past decade. It is December, so you are searching for the best gifts for your nephews, … Read more

The Amazon is not a subplot. Neither are the midterm elections. 

Did you know the Peruvian Amazon rainforest alone occupies a territory larger than that of Ukraine? I did not. That’s a fun fact I dug up from Amazon Watch when researching this blog.  That’s not all they have in common. Both are also under attack from autocratic leaders determined to hang onto power. This I … Read more

Political action and inaction: is Brazilian conservation under threat?

Written by Luís Gustavo Arruda (@extensao.natural), with the collaboration of Brian Griffiths and Thiago Hermenegildo. Indigenous peoples’ resistance for their rights is as ancient as the problems that cause contemporary social and environmental crises. Their resistance should also be ours, not only because they’re recognized as important conservationists, but because of their nature-based worldview. The … Read more

Can We Learn From Our Mistakes? A Tale of Two Forests

I was immersed in half-empty forest fragments, surrounded by concrete or pastures, for most of my life. The once-thriving Atlantic Forest along Brazil’s coast was burned and razed over centuries of development, leaving behind mostly small and degraded patches of forest that account for less than 30% of its original extent. However, an incredible amount … Read more

The Indigenous Communities of the Amazon and Their Fight Against COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic caught the world by surprise, sweeping across countries in only weeks, leaving no part of the world safe. The news provides daily coverage of international COVID-19 statistics; however, it rarely mentions  the people of indigenous communities and their perilous struggle with the pandemic. While COVID-19 has been a difficult adjustment for people … Read more