Brazil deal thwarts net-zero goals and threatens to bring pesticide-filled produce to UK | Science | News

A new report that was released earlier this week reveals that the ongoing trade discussions between the UK and Brazil will likely lead to an increase in pesticide-related harms in both countries, while destroying one of the largest absorbers of carbon dioxide in the world. The study, titled Toxic Trade Brazil, looks at how the growth in trade with Brazil being pursued by the UK Government could result in British consumers unwittingly finding their diets driving serious health and environmental impacts both in Brazil where the food is grown and in the UK.

In a statement, Josie Cohen, Head of Policy and Campaigns at Pesticide Action Network UK, said: “The UK Trade Secretary is promoting trade with Brazil as providing ‘real opportunities to go further on green trade’.

“Meanwhile, Brazil’s overuse of highly toxic pesticides is contributing to the destruction of the Amazon and other crucially important ecosystems, contaminating water and poisoning farmworkers and communities.

“And yet the Government has provided no detail on how it will ensure that Brazilian food sold on UK shelves is not contributing to the global climate and nature crises.”

Under current President Jair Bolsonaro, the Amazon rainforest has seen its highest levels of deforestation in over 15 years, according to official data.

The rainforest used to be the world’s largest carbon sink, absorbing far more greenhouse gases from the atmosphere than it produced.

However, scientists have warned that since mid-2021, the rainforest emits more carbon dioxide than it has absorbed, forest land is cleared away from farm use.

Speaking to Express.co.uk, Ms Cohen said: “The UK’s current system does nothing to protect Brazilian wildlife or precious ecosystems like the Amazon rainforest from toxic pesticides used to grow the food and feed we import.

“The destruction of the Amazon has sped up drastically under Brazil’s President Bolsonaro, with forest clearance for pesticide-dependant agriculture one of the key causes.

READ MORE:Amazon deforestation MAPPED: Area 4X size of Glasgow destroyed in Oct