The Norwegian government will donate USD 100 million this year and another USD 600 million next year to prevent deforestation in Brazil. A total of USD 1 billion will be spent by 2015. "This is the most effective and least expensive way to safeguard the environment," says Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg, to daily newspaper Aftenposten. He and Environment Minister Erik Solheim, met with President Lula da Silva to sign the agreement on Tuesday.
"This is the greatest thing I’ve done so far as a politician," says Prime Minister Stoltenberg.
"The Amazon Fund breaks new ground because money is only paid out if deforestation is actually halted," says head of the Rain Forest Fund, Lars Lovold.
"I feel really proud today. It’s important that we do this. As a country which has become rich selling polluting oil and gas, we are expected to do make a substantial contribution to reducing the threat to the environment," says Environment Minister, Erik Solheim.
The payments will be linked to assessments of the annual amount of deforestation. Satellite data will be used to carry out this task.