Brazil Ablaze: Understanding the Amazon Rainforest Fires

President Jair Bolsonaro has been deemed by many to be the “Trump of the Tropics”. Since his election last October,  there have been significant changes in Brazil’s environmental policies and an increase in international posturing regarding the deforestation of the Amazon rainforest.

Brazil, however, is not the United States. It is a state with deep roots in political authoritarianism with a history that includes 21 years of military dictatorship. Far-right populism and the resurgence of political authoritarianism are again a growing  threat to Brazilian democracy and freedom. The incumbent administration is unashamedly rolling back Brazil’s environmental laws and indigenous protections, and has discredited emerging data from Brazil’s Space Agency (INPE) on the deforestation of the Amazon rainforests.  

Satellite imagery from the INPE show wildfires sweeping through the Amazon, and confirm fears of illegal logging, encroaching crop and livestock farming, gold mining, and illegal occupations of indigenous reserves. Many questions have arisen regarding the administration’s handling of the Amazon fires. Foremost: Could they have been prevented?

This presentation will explore President Bolsonaro’s posturing regarding environmental laws, indigenous rights, and climate change in relation to the severity of the forest fires burning in the Amazon now. The presentation will conclude with remarks on the possible way forward for Brazil’s environmental safeguards and the fight against climate change.

*** Capacity at the venue is limited and door sales may not be available. Pre-purchase tickets early to avoid disappointment!
This event is being held at the University of Western Australia in the Old Economics Conference Room ***

Map to the venue can be found link this direct link: https://www.web.uwa.edu.au/contact/map?id=2383

If you are unable to purchase tickets online, please call the Secretary on (08) 6225 2515 or email wa.branch@internationalaffairs.org.au to book a seat.

About the speaker:

Flavia Bellieni Zimmermann is a Teaching Fellow and a Doctoral Candidate at the University of Western Australia School of Social Science, Political Science and International Relations. Flavia is the Department Representative and the Seminar Series Coordinator for Political Science and International Relations at the University of Western Australia. She holds a Graduate Diploma of International Relations and Security Studies from Curtin University in Western Australia, and a Bachelor of Laws with first class honours from the Pontifical Catholic University from Rio de Janeiro (PUC-RJ), Brazil. Flavia is associated with the University of Western Australia Centre for Muslim States and Societies. She is the Commissioning Editor for the Australian Institute of International Affairs blog The Australian Outlook.

Flavia is also the Oceania Regional Chair for the International Association for Political Science Students (IAPSS), with headquarters in the Netherlands. Flavia have published extensively in the field of international relations, Brazilian politics and society. Flavia’s research interests include Latin America, Brazilian Politics and Society, Women in the Global South; Gender and Politics; Comparative Studies; Human Rights; Migration, Religion and Gender; Populism and Gender; Populism and Nationalism.