To exit from scratch

* By Roberto Smeraldi

In 2013, an unprecedented joint effort toured Brazil. Federal and state governments, civil society, federations of farmers and cooperatives have teamed up to launch the Rural Environmental Registry (CAR), historic tool introduced by the Forest Code approved in 2012 to organize the countryside. With a long – planned system of participatory way, promised to
regularize the millions of rural property owners, who could then remedy accrued liabilities, and enjoy benefits and incentives. The Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply (MAPA) distributed throughout the country a beautiful booklet explaining the producer how to register your property.

It was exciting to see families proudly going to be identified by the system drivers. It is remarkable, in terms of citizenship, see how groups clashed regarding the formulation of the law were united around its implementation. Even one of the most dissatisfied civil society has mobilized to her out of the paper. Although prescribed by law and available on the Internet, the system still does not exist officially for lack of regulations by presidential decree. The expectations created by that task force was not met by the government, although the standard is ready since December 17. They spent weeks without them to understand why the decree did not come out. Until, at last, with a technical map curiously endorsing such assumed the reason for the delay: they sustaram the publication of the decree.

is a double paradox: first, because they block CAR after conducting wide campaign to train the system users, including significant public resources, as in the case of booklets Map and other initiatives. Second, the fact that the pressure comes not from the skeptical to the Forest Code, but part of the caucus, which has
as trump the approval of this law. If the new Forest Code and the CAR itself aim to overcome the environmental liabilities of farmers, how to explain that some of its leaders now boycott, postponing once again the chance for farmers to solve their disputes? For months, the Central Bank established economic advantages in credit to the registration holders, thus negated.

Surprise the reasons for the boycott: the group of ministerial political and technical does not accept the fundamental object of the law, that is, the rural property. Want to replace it with mere enrollment, which would fractionate the property, so that large owners can enjoy the benefits granted to small. Now, how could a infralegal standard circumvent what is laid down in
law? And as you might -after launch a system to involve the states, print booklets by own map- back to square one ?
This is not about opinions. At stake is the credibility of the government, already worn out before the farmer. In May, they will have elapsed two years of the adoption of the law, and it’s been months since the launch of the system in the States. With the President, the pen.

Published in the Folha de S. Paulo: http://www1.folha.uol.com.br/ opinion / 2014/02 / 1417853- Roberto Smeraldi-out-for-the-stake–zero.shtml

Roberto Smeraldi is director of Friends of the Earth and Working Group member for the Implementation of the Forest Code established by the Ministry of the Environment