Lula's Climate Call at UN Overshadowed by Record Amazon Fires

Brazil's President faces criticism over environmental policies amid worst Amazon blazes in over a decade.

Brazil's Amazon recorded over 38,000 fires in August, the highest for that month since 2010, with September on track to match.
Lula attributes the fires to criminal activity and proposes fines and increased spending to combat them, but enforcement has been delayed by a six-month strike at environmental regulator Ibama.
Conflicting messages from Lula's administration, including plans to tap offshore oil reserves near the Amazon, have raised concerns among environmentalists.
Lula’s previous administration was praised for reducing illegal deforestation, but current efforts face scrutiny due to ongoing fires and mixed policy signals.
At the UN General Assembly, Lula called for global climate action, criticizing developed nations for unmet climate commitments and stressing the need for collective responsibility.