Sky News reports that UK retailers have renewed their threat to stop buying products from Brazil as the South American country considers a new law, which conservationists say opens up the Amazon to accelerated deforestation.
An open letter to politicians in the Brazilian National Congress, led by supermarket chains including Tesco and Sainsbury’s, urges them to reject the proposal to allow the private occupation of public land.
The plan was first attempted a year ago but abandoned due to an international backlash.
Critics argue such a law would legitimise previous illegal land grabs and pave the way for more forests to be burned and cleared for agriculture – damaging efforts to combat climate change and the rights of indigenous communities.
Research in the country released in December showed Brazil’s Amazon rainforest suffered its worst deforestation for 12 years during the 12 months to July 2020.
The letter, signed by nearly 40 major grocery chains and other food producers, promised support for sustainable agriculture and the wider Brazilian economy if the country rejected the plan.
