At the UNGA’s 80th session, Brazilian President Lula da Silva stepped onto the global stage with a clear message: multilateralism and peace are non-negotiables. 🌐
He pushed back against recent US sanctions on Brazil’s institutions and economy, calling them unjustified and warning against meddling in the judiciary. ✋
On the battle against drug trafficking, Lula stressed teamwork: no one country can tackle this alone. Plus, he cautioned that using lethal force outside wartime counts as extrajudicial execution. 🚔💥
But the headline grabber was his $1 billion pledge to launch the Tropical Forests Forever Facility (TFFF) — a proposed multilateral fund to safeguard endangered forests like the Amazon … and inspire similar efforts from the Sundarbans to Borneo. 🌳💚
The TFFF aims to be a $125 billion endowment, blending government and private donations, where countries earn yearly payouts based on how much of their tropical canopy remains standing. It’s like getting rewarded for keeping your backyard green! 🌿
To kick things off, Brazil wants the first $25 billion from governments and big philanthropies. If that goal is met, private investors could bring in another $100 billion. Talk about a dream team! 🤝
“Brazil will lead by example,” Lula said, inviting global partners to bring their A-game before COP30. Could this be the fresh start climate action needs? We’re watching. 👀🔥
Reference(s):
Brazil's Lula urges multilateralism, launches $1b forest fund
cgtn.com
