Brazilian government assures that environmental budget will not be affected by deficit target

Simone Tebet said that they are issued with lower interest rates abroad, generating less debt, and binding a commitment to apply resources to projects to protect the environment

The Brazilian government has assured that the environmental budget will not be affected by the target of zero deficit for 2024.

In an interview at the 2nd Environmental Public Spending Assessment and Improvement Seminar, Planning Minister Simone Tebet said that the environmental agenda is transversal, involving several ministries.

She also said that resources for the environment will come from green bonds issued on the international market and from international funds with contributions from other governments.

“In relation to the zero deficit, in the Brazilian budget we have several ministries with markers and actions in transversality with budgetary resources for the environmental agenda,” Tebet said.

“Second, there is the issue of green bonds, and third, there are the resources we are expecting from governments via international funds.”

She also highlighted that multilateral organizations – such as the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), the World Bank, and the CAF – have sustainability as a central axis in their strategic plans and that the government itself favors green projects for the allocation of external financing.

On the issuance of green bonds, Tebet said that they are issued with lower interest rates abroad, generating less debt, and binding a commitment to apply resources to projects to protect the environment.

Environment Minister Marina Silva said that the government is preparing an instrument that would involve a type of payment per hectare preserved, with the aim of preserving forests.

The mechanism was developed by the ministries of the environment, foreign relations, and finance, and will be announced by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva at an opportune moment.

Source: Estadão Conteúdo