MBolsonaro

ADRID — The administration of President Jair

is considering a dramatic change in the council that oversees Brazil’s environmental policy, replacing a broad-based panel of independent voices with a small group of political appointees, according to documents obtained by The Associated Press.

Activists say they fear drafted by Bolsonaro’s the move, which reflects transition team before Bolsonaro’s oft-stated he took office Jan. 1 skepticism about environmental proposes a decree creating organizations, a “government council” could lead to more deforestation to replace Brazil’s and less oversight National Council of the in the nation that holds Environment, which has about 60% of the vast almost 100 members, Amazon rainforest, which including representatives scientists see as crucial for of independent environmental efforts to slow global and business warming and for the world groups. The new body climate systems. would consist of five

A policy roadmap presidential appointees plus Environment Minister Ricardo Salles, who is one of the authors of the plan.

The documents, first published by the Brazilian Climate Observatory environmental group, were obtained and verified by the AP.

Brazil’s Environment Ministry did not reply to a request for comment.

Part of the transition plan has already come into force. The country’s forestry service, aimed at promoting “knowledge, sustainable use and widening of forestry coverage,” was transferred