Sir, – I find it difficult to disagree with Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro when he defends his right to be the decision-maker regarding the Amazon rainforests (World News, September 25th).
If the world is entitled to have a say in how the rainforests are managed because they are the “lungs of the world”, then the world is equally entitled to make decisions about the management of oil reserves in Saudi Arabia or about the mineral wealth of the US or China.
The key rainforest decision the world needs to make is a financial one rather than conservational. If the world wants Brazil to conserve the rainforests, it must pay Brazil to do so.
I have seen little evidence up to now that the international community is confronting that reality. – Yours, etc,
SEAN O’SULLIVAN,
Crossabeg, Co Wexford.