The Climate Question Is Brazil doing enough to protect the Amazon?
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Aug 18, 2025 
Ione Wells, a South America correspondent for BBC News, and Laura Bicker, BBC’s senior China correspondent, dive deep into urgent climate issues. They discuss Brazil's slowed efforts to reduce Amazon deforestation and the alarming implications of proposed oil drilling in the region. Meanwhile, Bicker highlights China's ambitious hydropower project, which promises renewable energy but raises environmental concerns and regional tensions. Their insights uncover the complex interplay between economic growth and urgent ecological needs in two pivotal countries.
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Deforestation Rebound Threatens Amazon Carbon Sink
- Deforestation briefly fell after Lula returned to power but has risen again in the most recent year, reversing earlier gains.
- Climate-driven droughts and deliberate fires are amplifying forest loss and emissions, turning the Amazon into a net carbon source.
Indigenous Firefighters Using Makeshift Gear
- Ione Wells describes indigenous firefighters tackling blazes with makeshift gear like cartons of water on their backs.
- Communities say they lack state resources and feel left to fight fires themselves in remote regions.
Faster Licensing Risks Weakening Protections
- A bill passed by Brazil's Congress aims to speed up environmental licensing for roads, dams and mines by streamlining approvals.
- Critics warn it could roll back protections and allow projects to proceed without full environmental impact assessment.