A delegation of Brazilian senators used EM’s political showcase to preach the defense of nature in official media outlets and social networks, despite the lack of funding for the department that takes care of the environmental area.
Of the 20 senators who confirmed their presence in the Brazilian delegation at the conference this month, including the president of , (-AP), only 5 directed funds to the Ministry of Climate Change over a decade.
The amount transferred by them to the department totaled just R$2.5 million — while the amount directed to the department was R$21.9 million, according to data from the transparency platform TransfereGov.
Inspection agents, authorities, environmentalists and indigenous leaders heard by the Sheet associate the abundant distribution of equipment with deforestation and the opening of illegal roads by city halls and other public bodies, combining developmental discourses with violations of the law.
The majority of parliamentarians worked behind the scenes at COP30 alongside Brazilian and foreign negotiators, as well as sectors of civil society, defending the interests of the groups that support them.
In the capital of Pará, Alcolumbre sat next to the first lady at the opening ceremony of the conference and took photos with authorities. Approached upon leaving the event, he refused to speak.
According to a text published by the Agency with images of him at COP30, the congressman stated that “without a doubt, Brazil is an example for the world: we have reduced deforestation in the Amazon by 50% in the last three years, we have expanded the use of biofuels, solar energy and wind energy and we have launched the Tropical Forests Forever Fund.”
During his term as senator, however, Alcolumbre did not allocate any individual amendments to the Brazilian environmental ministry.
The last time he addressed an amendment was ten years ago, when he was a federal deputy, and even so with a negligible value compared to the tens of millions he had at his disposal during the period, according to data from the Siga Brasil portal.
In 2015, he reserved R$50,000 for the Quelônios da Amazônia program, from the (Brazilian Institute of the Environment and Renewable Natural Resources), in Amapá. The value corresponds to 0.01% of all amendments already used by the parliamentarian, a total of R$364 million.
Among those present at the conference, Senator Fabiano Contarato (-ES) was the one who directed the most funds to the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change, with R$ 1.3 million for recycling actions and in Espírito Santo. Senator Leila Barros (-DF) directed R$684,000 to environmental improvement and ecotourism actions in the .
Senator Alessandro Vieira (MDB-SE) committed R$400,000 to environmental education in Sergipe, and senator Marcelo Castro (MDB-PI) sent R$100,000 to the maintenance of conservation units in Piauí.
Furthermore, Senator Efraim Filho (União Brasil-PB) has a 2022 amendment registered to receive R$600,000 in remainders to be paid for animal defense in Paraíba, but the amount has not yet been committed or executed, according to the Transparency Portal.
Likewise, Senator Randolfe Rodrigues (PT-AP) has a 2019 amendment in the amount of R$288,000 authorized to support conservation units in Amapá, although the amount has not yet been effectively used, according to official data.
Among the members of the delegation, Senator Wellington Fagundes (PL-MT) was the one who could in practice be used to .
There were R$8.8 million in amendments, between 2016 and 2024, for equipment such as loaders, motor graders and compactor rollers, distributed across municipalities in Mato Grosso. In a video at COP on TV Senado, Fagundes states that Brazil needs long-term international partnerships and investments in the environmental area.
Senator Beto Faro (PT-PA), who did not send individual funds to the environment, but financed machines in the Amazon with R$2.3 million in amendments, has four posts on Instagram publicizing his presence at the COP. In the videos, he defends sustainable development and climate justice.
As a federal deputy, in 2021, Faro was sector rapporteur for the Chamber’s Mixed Budget Committee and asked for the allocation of R$8 million from the commission’s budget for fire prevention and environmental recovery.
Senator Jader Barbalho (MDB-PA), who sent R$7.8 million, has eight posts in which he appears at the conference with family members and authorities. On social media, he highlights his project to encourage regenerative agriculture, presented during the last week of the conference.
Senator Chico Rodrigues (PSB-RR) also appears in the TV Senado video and defends development in the Amazon. He did not direct amendments to the environment, but sent R$2.8 million to the Ministry of Defense for the acquisition of agricultural equipment, such as tractors with platform tires.
The senators were asked about the values, but the majority did not respond to the report.
Eduardo Braga (MDB-AM) stated that he proposed to the Senate’s Economic Affairs Committee an amendment of R$200 million in the budget of the Ministry of Development, Industry and Commerce to stimulate green economy and environmental preservation projects in municipalities.
Ângelo Coronel (PSB-BA) informed that he allocates funds to Bahia’s city halls for measures that strengthen the activities of municipalities, “including actions that aim to improve areas such as basic sanitation, a dimension that also represents care for the environment”.
Considering the entire Brazilian Congress, investigation of the Sheet showed that it was directed to the environment department in the last decade. In the same period, congressmen sent three times more money to purchase 1,648 pieces of heavy equipment in the Legal Amazon alone.
