Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

There is documentary evidence in the form of satellite imagery which shows that there has been a rapid acceleration of the destruction of the Amazon rainforest in the past six months. Both Europe and the Government are being cagey. They are not highlighting this but it should be a showstopper. The behaviour of the Brazilian Government in respect of the Amazon rainforest should be a showstopper in the context of Mercosur. I put it to the Minister that pledging to the Paris Agreement in the never-never does not correspond with the reality of what is happening right now. The European Union's response is to reward this and incentivise the destruction of the Amazon rainforest to have more pasture for more beef that will come into Europe eventually.

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