Brazil's presidential frontrunner Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said on Monday his country did not need to cut a single tree to plant more soybeans, sugarcane or raise cattle as he vowed to restore law enforcement in the Amazon rainforest to curb deforestation.
His remarks came as Reuters reported last week that advisors to the leftist former president were proposing subsidized "green" farm loans to spur planting of soybeans and corn on open pasture and reduce deforestation in the Amazon.
"Brazil will look after the climate issue like never before. We want to be responsible for maintaining the climate," he said. Lula pledged to create a ministry for indigenous affairs, saying indigenous people would do more to preserve the rainforest if they had more authority. "We don't have to rush into a final EU deal," he said, arguing that terms can be "adjusted" to benefit all sides.