Finally interviewing Brazilian President Lula da Silva
I am standing on a balcony sixteen floors above the Amazon leaning on the railing talking with Brazil’s President Lula.
An exceptional life story has taken him from a 12-year-old shoeshine boy, via work at a sheet metal factory where he lost the little finger of his left hand in an industrial accident, to his founding and leading of a steel workers Union, to the point where now he is seven years into the presidency of one of the biggest countries on earth.
Perhaps five foot seven or eight, with his distinctive grey beard, he is charismatic and exuberant – younger than his sixty-four years.
He has come to personify the leadership in the south in the battle to combat climate change. Yet he is also pragmatic – desperate to protect economic growth to give others like himself the chance to break from poverty and join Brazil’s booming economic development.
I met him first on platform three at St Pancras station in London. For years I have wanted to secure an interview with him. But coming in from Paris, where he enjoys a close relationship with Sarkozy and his ministers (indeed Sarko has been here again in the past few days), Lula had been on his way to the G20 summit in London earlier this years.
Though we exchanged pleasantries on the platform there was no time for an interview. I have been chasing him ever since.
Finally I got the chance here in Manaus in the heart of the Amazon rain forest. It was no disappointment.
He is direct, calls a spade a spade, doesn’t mince words, is passionate about fighting both climate change and poverty and argues that the two issues are inextricably linked.
Sometimes, when I am waiting for a plane, or for an interview to start I play a game. I call it Mandela’s high table. Who would you have round the great man’s table together?
Amartya Sen, the great Nobel prize winning economist who won it for his work on poverty; Mandela himself; Wangari Maathai the Kenyan environmentalist, and undoubtedly Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
Who else? We can return to that another Snowblog. But our interview on Channel 4 News tonight is fabulously animated, controversial, and provides a vital insight into thinking in the south ahead of Copenhagen.
Oh, and just in case you are interested, he wholeheartedly supports England’s bid to stage the World Cop in 2018.
Back on the balcony of the hotel after the interview he pulled out a small packet of Brazil nuts handing me one in his thumb and forefinger for me to savour. Too good to eat.
I kept it – after all, it’s not every day that the president of Brazil gives you one his country’s namesake nuts.
In parting he took my hand in both of his and spoke of what a good and supportive friend Gordon Brown had been to him especially in the early days of his presidency.
And then, giving me an enormous bear hug, Lula bid me goodbye.
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There are 59 comments on this post
Every bit of heart floors the cynics.
President de Silva sounds like a genuine person. I hope he gets the summit to see things his way.
Still a bit British though, can’t get used to the holding hand thing and hugs. It was bad enough in church exchanging peace. It is good to see in others though.
Will tune in to listen to C4 to see the rest.
Another job I would metaphorically give my left arm for!- Jon Snow,you have the best job in the world!
i applaud the reports that Jon Snow is transmitting.That is the way to go Mr Snow..I wish other channels in the UK copy your endeveour and explore other enviromental topics regarding our Mother nature.This is the type of serious and educational issues that people long for now a days and not the boring subjects about stupid and hypocrit politicians. Thank you Mr Snow. Keep up the good work Sir…
What a disgraceful junket for you to go to the biggest favela in he world and tell us to feel guilty about the lie that is anthropogenic climate change. Brazil is chopping down its forests, overpopulating and polluting its own country but leave the lie of Co2 out of it.We owe them NOTHING: if you care so much for this rubbish, give them your not insubstantial salary.
After the climategate revelations how can Channel 4 and you in particular continue to spout this AGW nonsense. Of course the Brazilian president will be all for taking money from UK taxpayers. It wasn’t us that persuaded him to let his people chop down all the bloody trees. That has what has caused the rivers to flood and the land to be flooded.
Great interview and piece from Brazil. What a man – if he can’t continue to run Brazil he must be given a top job at the UN
How stark all the adverts for Christmas excess looked when they came on immediately after your piece with that woman smiling as she brings up her five children in room without most of the things we think of as essential
Our wealth has been paid for by poor countries around the world and one day we will have to pay it back, either volunarily or by force when they decide enough is enough
Quality journalism. Great reports which reinforce the need for action. Will the penny drop in Copenhagen to what a global economy with global responsibilities means? Time for change is now …
Thanks Jon + C4
Well done on a terrific broadcast from Brazil, well put together, and thank goodness you opted not to do it from some swanky hotel but the heart of the slum dwellings, highlighting the plight of the poor. Look forward to the rest of the broadcasts – GG
“Who would you have round the great man’s table together?”
I mean, honestly, did you really think you’d get away with that?
Although I find Amartya Sen’s work amazing and Mandela a role model, I’m quite shocked that there was no mention of any women in your game. Disappointing…
And what’s is this with British people that they can’t hug or even hold hands???
Weirdos…
PS: If you don’t accept my comment I’ll have to believe that you have problem with women. X
Of course they can Telma, holding hands and hugging is beautiful, but please don’t be offensive , about a tradition where overt affection was seen to be too intrusive. That is the way British people were brought up.
It is my belief that the way forward is to listen to other peoples views and try not to display traits of aggression . which is inflammatory and should be left for those who look for comedy or sensationalism. The issue remains that sensitively we need to progress and focus on climate change and support the persons who do their upmost to take these issues forward.
Side arguments ,beget casuistry and too much waffle detracts from the theme.
In writing it is called the polyfilla of plays
What a contrast – da silva and milliband. While President Lula Da Silva is plain speaking and comes across as genuine, Ed Milliband (speaking on another news programme tonight) seemed evasive and unsure of how we can [really] move forward on environmental issues. I sense he has the knowledge and commitment to make a difference but we will have to wait for Copenhagen to see if that becomes true global leadership and commitment. I visited Brazil last month and experienced a genuine passion and commitment from the UK and Brazilian companies and individuals I worked with regarding sustainable construction. I have great hopes and faith in the people of Brazil to robustly tackle environmental issues, poverty and housing. I will be watching the channel 4 special reports with great interest this week to see if the commitment i experienced are wide spread.
Interesting , that the supposedly fastest growing economy has some of the worlds worst slums and wants other countries to pay it to save the rain forests .It is already seeing a climate change with droughts and floods .If it believes the cause is its destruction of those forests , the answer is in its own hands
Why oh why no mention of climategate? If Global warming is a hoax, what use Copenhagen?
I watched the report last night. Thought the interview with Lula was good. Thought the general report was good. Thought the whole idea of broadcasting live from a favela was brilliant, though a bit concerned about the constant association of Brazil with extreme poverty only. But poverty is shocking in Brazil and we have to deal with it.
The only thing that spoiled the whole report was the fact that you interviews an establishment journalist William Waack who doesn’t know a thing about the environment. He is one of the spokesperson of Rede Globo de televisao, the world’s biggest media dictatorship. His corporation manufactured lies about Lula in 1989 which resulted in a mob leader, Collor, being elected as Brazil’s first elected preseident since the military dictatorship of the 60s. What were you trying to achieve by giving a platform to Brazil’s rightwing press? Whar was the point of inviting a newscaster of a programme that is essentially about the economy when we’d have benefited more from journalists that understand more about global warming issues. My guess is there was poor planning and inefficiency in finding a suitable candidate and you had to go for the easy option.
Well said Danilo!
I agree, but get used to the constant association with poverty, favelas, street kids, drugs gangs etc in Britain because the British media is obsessed with it. They also want to tell people too that it is a better country/life in the UK and to not visit Brazil as a tourist, or for the World Cup or the Olympics. They’ll get mugged, you see, as if you’d never get mugged in the East End of London! Doh! Getting back to the environment and O Globo, too true! It has all been too easy up to know. Even the discussion last night was weak!
P.s. My wife is from Rio.
Thanks. Obrigado.
John. Liverpool. England.
No Colin ,
I believe I have the best job in the world , when not stopped by the incompetence of those who want to take money out of the system by use and abuse. I get to take care of people and cure ills.
But yes I agree , on a freezing ,porridge morning, in frosty Lancashire ,Brazils’ climate looks inviting .
When reporting on poverty and disaster Jon is at his best. Many see him as abrasive ,when interviewing politicians and the like however he gets emotionally involved with issues where suffering peoples needs require an advocate.
He extends sympathy , whilst having the knack of avoiding the removal of any dignity which those sufferers may feel. He rempowers them and with listening power gives them, if only temporarily ,an equality they may not have had before.
But Colin that is not a job. It is rather vocational.
Jon Snow asks the questions that I want to ask myself- but in a way that makes it engaging and vital- thats why I think hes got the best job in the world- hes rather good at it too.
His finest hour? Alistair Campbell when he barged in live on the broadcast about the dodgy dossier. I was screaming at the TV.
If you want to see something marvellous regarding climate change check this out from the 1992 conference. I for one would love to know what this young lady thinks of whats going on now.Shell be about 30 now
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQmz6Rbpnu0
Her speech is astonishing
The greatest issue of global warming lies in its long term effect being governed predominately by short term politicians. Essential our children receive educational support that lets them commit to measures to control the effects as they will inherit a flawed legacy based on our achievements so far.
SONG TO COPENHAGEN.
The rain does come in buckets and spades,
From East coast to West coast, and there in between,
The winds get stronger, sometimes to howl,
For weather is changin, it’s begining to growl,
The seasons thet change, there not so defind.
Jack Frost he has gone, temperate climate to come,
Soft words will be spoken , and promises there made,
Yet nought will be done , just watch n observe,
For thet cannot reverse or change anything,
To bring back Jack Frost ,
To olde England again.
Apologies Margaret. Didn’t mean to offend but the british coldness really strikes me as an odd approach to human kind relations.
Don’t want to move away from the issue either. I’m Brazilian myself and I think we have our share in the irresponsable way we’ve been treating the environment. For years mobilization groups tried to warn and lobby the Brazilian gov about the amazon situation and they wouldn’t listen and I don’t think they’re really actively listening now.
Lula is not the answer, he’s actually part of the problem. He’s too busy dining with neoliberal businessman from Brazil and elsewhere to think about climate change. He’s popular because he pleases the elite who in turn own the media which then brainwash the mass to think that he’s the solution to all our problems.
He should listen to the people who elected him, all the social movement groups that gave their blood to see a worker in the presidency. The only problem is they’re not there any longer. Anyone who had a little bit of humanity and hunger for justice left as soon as they saw that pleasing bankers was actually what this government was working for.
no probs…….. who shall we have under the table?
Why do denialists say “climate change isn’t man-made” as if it’s a clinching-argument?
Picture this: there’s a juggernaut speeding your way, and Jo Bloggs insists on asking whether someone’s driving it. It really doesn’t matter – you jump.
Let’s have the cause-and-consequence debate after we’ve survived(?) climate-chaos.It can wait.
well said phil
I assume Jon Snow travelled to Brazil by aeroplane. How does he plan to offset his “carbon footprint”?
Nick Stonier: good question. Jon Snow’s a great fella, but they(greenish-types) thrive on our disregarding of their “carbon footprint”.
I knew a bloke who was convinced that by travelling to the Amazon on a yearly-basis, he was doing the world “some good”. I know: it’s hard to believe, but it’s true!!!
They’re all Bono in the end – unimpeachably Good Blokes, but you have to wonder: is Looking-Good more important than Doing Stuff?
Jon,
can you tell me how you and your staff jolly to Rio helps the environment and GW.
You really are hippocrits.Your interviews could have easily been done via satellite. Get your house in order before you dictate to me what i should be doing.
I disagree. Reporting has to be done on the ground. Do you think Michael Burke’s Ethiopia report would have been so powerful if he’d just spoken to someone by satellite.
Some of the images and the ordinary people Jon has spoken to have been very vivid and conveyed the urgency of dealing with poverty and climate change.
The problem is that means the rich countries will have to pay more and we don’t want to hear that.
You really think we would have had the indepth understanding and perspective of whats really going or the interview with the President if it had to be done by satellite? Hipocrisy is not a term I would apply in this case.
Isn’t there anybody in Brazil who can conduct an interview and link up to Jon Snow in Kettering? Why should he and his entourage travel thousands of miles by air to preach about global warming? I suppose Mr Snow fancied a bit of sun.
T Green: exactly. None of us like getting-the-boot-into Snow(he’s the closest we’ve got to to a Dimbleby!!!) but you have to remember – Green isn’t a lobby:it’s a club, and we’re not invited. Lobbies represent marginalised groups. If Marvel Comics could convince me back in the mid-1970s that the world was in geo-peril, then there is nothing new/modern/counter-cultural about climate change.
We’re left with a media/politico self-pity fest.
Did Stalin teach these people the Art Of Strategic Self-Righteousness?
We are all on board.
Some good reports on Channel 4 News pre Copenhagen!.
One thought I have is that as nations compete to have their arguments favoured in dealing with the issue, why can’t their politicians see that to get the problem dealt with effectively there is only one scenario that will work.
This is for the ratio of energy demand to energy use to reverse its previous trend to make more ecomonical development happen with less fuel, The consequence of not achieving this is either to stall all development, or to see the climate’s ability to support the human race collapse. We all share the same fate so the sooner we stop competing about the methods to achieve it the sooner we can secure our joint futures.
I might take this so called climate change more seriously if it were not for the junket trips round the world. Hey next stop Copenhagen. Well done ,Jon (and your team presumably) air miles for anyone? Another industry… “Carbon trading “,when will that “South Sea Bubble” burst? We have had our opportunities years ago to do something about our environment and invest in nuclear energy and use our tides as well for generating electricity.We have failed miserably. Do you really think that Brazil will throw away the opportunity to join the big 5? Get real.
Having found Jon Snow’s report from Brazil tonight very interesting, I did wonder about the Eco viability of sending a team of 10+ to Brazil to produce these reports. Very nice for all the crew and Jon I’m sure, but the Carbon Footprint must be extremely large for such a serious of reports. Surely Channel 4 could present it’s green credentials by organising things a liitle bit differently?
What would be wrong in doing the piece from London, with a locally sourced crew and presenter? As to the “chat” betwen residents of Kettering and Brazil, what was the point? Come on Channel 4, might look cutting edge, but this is the sort of lax thinking that must change. Have a nice holiday Jon! Unless of course you caught a cruise liner there.
while I appreciate the reports, and the motivation behind them, a local crew could have been hired for aerial shots etc and interviews could have been done by video conferencing from London………..how does one offset their carbon footprint?
Tonight Jon Snow interviewed panels from Brazil and the UK. Both were, on the whole, keen to support each other in tackling climate change and as individuals were trying to do something to mitigate their effects. And as individuals (or small groups) very many people want to do their little bit, and indeed this is often all they can realistically do. However if we all do a little bit we will make a little difference (unfortunate – but a fact). The next option is to ‘hope’ our respective Political Leaders will commit, and legislate, to do a lot on our collective behalf at Copenhagen (and beyond). Climate commitmants are not just for christmas – they are for life, ours and future generations. So, we vote for the polititians ? so we actually have the collective power to influence their climate change commitments. As individuals we can do a little, but as a population, groups within nations, we actually have a great deal of power – if we choose to exercise it !!
I believe, having worked with Green Architects in the Philippines and in Brazil (Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro), that British companies have a great deal to offer Brazil, the Philippines and other Developing Countries in the way of knowledge and expertise. Jon Snows interviews tonight covered, among other things, the provision of Environmental Education to Brazil. We have the expertise to raise awareness of environmental issues and strategies to mitigate the effects of the economic growth and poverty eradication that Brazil and all developing nations have a right to pursue. We also have the technology to export to further these goals. This is a viable alternative to financial ‘aid’ and funding which our own economic situation may prohibit. The exporting of UK technology and services to developing countries promotes sustainable growth globally – and may just be enough to get the UK out of recession and Brazil, and other Developing Countries, on the road to greatly reducing poverty and increasing economic growth.
How not be amazed with the richness of this huge country and be perplexed with its charismatic president willing to solve the most problematic issues the world is facing?
Lula’s biography is amazing, but one overseas blinded by Brazil’s good news is uncomprehensible of what Brazil is persuing. What a discrepancy when a president has more 70% approval, but his government is the stage of the most disgraceful corruption? Yes, currently the government chooses to fight even more corruption and inevitably the worst has come alight.
Difficult times in Brazil has prepared the grounds for what was the worst crises for many developed others; poor education system and Lula’s plan to solve misery made its people attached to this same policy and most opts not even to look for a better quality of life and; ignorance makes it easier to control the nation with the country’s new thinkers and new generation of voters are controled by policies which can give them a degree. Climate change? The game of peace between Brazil and Israel side by side with Palestinians? A favorable scenery of bread and circus.
What a dicotomy between the president’s vision and his own lack of action!
I’m Brazilian and live in the UK and I think Brazil should surely exploit their oil reserves in order to provide the poor population with a better life. And if we chop our trees down, it’s none of other countries business. I’m not talking about destroying the Amazon jungle, I’m talking about sustainable development and we the right to develop our country. Climate change? Global warming? Who cares? Don’t blame it on us when the rich countries don’t think twice about exploiting whatever they can to maintain their economic power and provide their citizens with a good life. And by the way, as some comments here state, I don’t think Lula said the UK taxpayers should face the bill for the climate change. And by saying that I don’t think the world should dictate us on how to run our country.
Marcello
You need to listen to your own, home-grown Brazilian climate scientists.
If Brazil continues on its present path of forest destruction, the first and most serious victim will be Brazil itself.
If you don’t have the forests in the Amazon, you will experience a dramatic drying up of the agriculturally-productive south – the sugar, the oranges, the soya, the cattle, the maize – all those crops which feed Brazil (and many other countries) will cease.
Up to 80% of the rain falling in Rio & Sao Paulo States comes from the Amazon. It travels from the Atlantic, falling as rain and evaporating many times on the way. If the forest goes, this rainfall-evaporation cycle will be interrupted and southern Brazil will turn arid, parts becoming desert.
And President Lula has stated that he will not prevent deforestation if it is at the cost of ‘development’ in the Amazon.
He’s a great talker, but sadly his actions belie his words in so many cases.
patrick,
i don’t think Lula is in favor of the destruction of the Amazon Jungle. He is in favor of sustainable development. Besides, it’s not only deforestation that contributes to the climate change. Possibly your country along with the other big consumers in the world are much more responsible for what’s going on.
Yes, we in the so-called ‘developed’ world are responsible historically and currently for the majority of the greenhouse gases lurking in the upper atmosphere.
That doesn’t justify other countries following our erroneous lead. Brazil, with all of the natural blessings you have, has the opportunity to lead the world in a new direction.
You can develop in all sorts of innovative directions. You have advanced technology, excellent scientists, massive raw materials – and, crucially, loads of sunshine. Make use of them to show the ‘developed’ world a new model of responsible progress.
First, reduce your consumption by improving the efficiency in the way you use energy.
Second, improve the efficiency of your existing energy sources – hydroelectric, biofuel, and fossil fuel.
Third, innovate. Develop your use of solar energy.
But while you have an establishment dedicated to ‘grand projects’, you are headed in the same direction as us; towards disaster. Lula’s PAC is just a collection of mega-projects designed to swell the coffers of corporations and fill the pockets of the establishment. It’ll do nothing to relieve poverty.
Haven’t been able to se any of C4s’ live news coverage from Brazil as out of the country.
At the end of every day though, we all have to admit to ourselves, that climate change is also due to a natural cycle.
Those who dis journalists “con huevos” should be the first ones to start looking into climate change. There is a lot of info being held from the public.
Safe journey back to the UK Jon and I bet you paid the extra for less emissions.
adzmundo CND
Excellent reports from Brazil (The more observant will have seen Jon report that they have ‘ofset’ their trip,) I remember lessons aboiut Brazil in the early eighties, and following a schools programme that reported on the favelas. Sad to see that not much has changed in 25 years.
Patrick writes “the more observant will have seen Jon report that they have ofset (sic) their trip”.
The question I asked in my original post, was “HOW does he plan to offset his carbon footprint?”
I think we should be told.
Jon took his bike over – he’s cycling back!
Aready I have forgotten the name of scientists you interviewed tonight 2/12.
I think you should have asked them
If the planets’ climate was totally in your jurisdiction would you be happy to advocate continue pumping CO2 in ever increasing levels into the atmosphere and take responsibility for that decision?.
Just how big is your carbon footprint now Jon? London to Copenhagen via the Amazon. Wake up Channel 4 News.
COLIN, BRILLIANT”you tube’ emotive and powerful denunciation of the greedy ,and nations blind to realities.
This young girl delivered a message which I was listening to at the same time as listening to Los Canados on Classic FM. It worked so beautifully it could sell a million .in combination.
I might just make one Margaret then that way the message more accessible
Can’t believe that Jo Snow went all the way to Brazil and missed the point. There he was in a mega city of 35 million, in the middle of the favelas and didn’t appear to notice the main driver of world environmental distruction – dramatic, unsustainable polulation growth. Of course, not a word to Lula! Time we stopped fiddling around the edges and addressed the real issue.
In reply to Patrick Cunningham: so long as we do the same and don’t the Prime Ministers here support the big corporations?
It seems you are very opinionated about what is going on in my country and what our government should or shouldn’t do. But what do you have to say about your country and the like? What has it been doing to ease the damaging gases that have been “lurking in the upper atmosphere”? Not much, is it? I mean your country has been consuming, consuming and consuming more.
I don’t disagree that we should make a better use of our natural resources but no, we don’t have to show anything to the world. We have the right to do whatever it takes to eradicate poverty in our country and I don’t mean destroying the Amazon forest.
You speak with so much authority about Lula’s PAC but how can you be so sure about that? Have you ever lived in Brazil? Have you ever starved? You come from a totally different reality mate. It’s easy to point out the finger when you are sitting in front of your computer with a nice hot cup of tea. But go and tell that what Lula is doing is bad for the people who used to have nothing to eat.
Like Lula said “Let no gringo ask us to let an Amazonian starve to death under a tree”.
I do have extensive experience in Brazil. This is what we do:
http://www.tribesalive.org
I am no fan of what we do here. I do what I can myself to reduce our carbon footprint and reduce waste, but it’s not enough.
I am a fan of lots that Brazil does, and I have hopes that you will follow a better path than we have.
I don’t rate my chances of having any impact on our establishment here. The path I have followed has led me into close contact with Brazil for thirty years – I try to make a difference there, where I seem to be able to make a small contribution.
There’s no reason for an Amazonian to starve under a tree, unless it is one of the dying Brazil nut trees which are left standing in the middle of the soya fields – by a pointless law which prevents them being felled, leaving them isolated in conditions under which they cannot survive. The forest is full of food; it is only the barren monocultures you grow to feed people in other countries at a knock-down price that will deprive your people of good nutrition.
Man you couldn’t be more wrong. So it’s ok for a person to starve under a Brazil nut tree? How ironic…
Also, we don’t produce foo at a knock-down price only to feed people from other countries. We produce cheap food for ourselves too.
I have great respect for J.Snow and Channel4 news, but you were absolutely out of the reality. You should interview leaders from other political parties, intellectuals and get a grip on the Brazilian reality. Lula is indeed a charismatic person, but for Brazilian, portuguese-speaking persons with some education, what is most striking is the mix of high charisma with low culture and mediocre intelligence. He speaks very bad Portuguese and his ideas are of a simple-minded person. He mainly repeats what his staff and the members of his Party say to him.
Lula and Brazil’s current success is based on the continuity of the economical policies laid out by F.H. Cardoso, the previous President. Lula’s government is flooded by corruption scandals, his main aides were involved in cases involving huge sums of money.
Brazilian media is under economic censorship, newspapers don’t dare to publish a word against the government.
I hope that my post will be published, a previous one was censored- why?
Lula plays according to the game, global finance, and the global warming scam.
I was walking through a park in Liverpool a few weeks ago and saw some men chopping down two Oak trees. I asked one of them whether the trees were dead and he said no. I asked why then, were they being cut down? He told me they were putting up a CCTV camera to monitor the café in the middle of the park which they were ‘redeveloping.’ Last week I was on Paddington in the city centre and saw some workmen with diggers gouging out a huge trench on a piece of grassed land with trees to redirect a road about 100 yards and put new pavements on it (there is no reason for it, I assure you). I asked a workman what had happened to the trees. He replied ‘Well, we had to cut the trees down because they would have been in the way of the road.’ This has been happening all over Liverpool (and probably all over the UK) over the past few years. Trees cut down and the destruction of the environment- but what about global warming?
Therein lies the hypocrisy and double standards with the UK and the rich, First World countries. If global warming is as serious as we say it is and trees absorb C02 and give off oxygen and we are under threat from climate change, may I ask- why do WE cut down trees in this country? I have had many discussions with my Brazilian wife about this and we understand that the Amazon rainforest is important- but aren’t ALL trees everywhere on the planet important? I thought it affected us too- or does it only affect us when Brazilians chop down THEIR trees and THEY want to develop?
We want to fly cheaply, have our new airports and expand them (Heathrow), have jobs, new shopping centres, new high- speed railways, new roads and motorways all over the UK with more and more cars and houses etc but all this has an affect on the environment. ‘Do as we say, not as we do,’ seems to be our motto. We are already a developed, rich country. Who are we to dictate to and lecture Brazil with its millions of hungry people. We are hypocrites. Carry on Brazil. Develop. Feed your people.