MINISTER SILVA ANNOUNCES STRUCTURAL CHANGES AT BRAZIL'S

UNCLAS BRASILIA 000771 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR G PBATES STATE FOR EB/ESC MMCMANUS AND JIZZO STATE FOR WHA/ESPC FCORNEILLE AND WHA/BSC WPOPP PASS TO EPA CHILL-MACON E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: SENV TNGD TRGY KSCA EAGR BR SUBJECT: MINISTER SILVA ANNOUNCES STRUCTURAL CHANGES AT BRAZIL'S MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT ¶1. Minister Marina Silva announced structural changes in the Ministry of Environment and at Brazil's Environmental Protection Agency (IBAMA) on April 25, 2007. Four new secretariats were created: Climate Change and Environmental Quality Secretariat(SEMUC)to be headed by Thelma Krug; Water Resources and SIPDIS Urban Environments (SRU) to be headed by Luciano Zica; Extractive Activities and Sustainable Rural Development SDR)lead by Egon Krakhecke and the Institutional Articulation and Environmental Citizenship (SAIC) with Hamilton Pereira as director. ¶2. The new Executive Secretary, or Deputy Minister is Joco Paulo Capobianco. ¶3. According to Minister Silva, the changes were made to better fit the new themes and demands of the international environmental agenda. However, the changes were announced one day after President Lula's complained about delays in the construction of two large hydropower dams in the Amazon due to the long process of getting environmental licenses. Earlier media reports said President Lula only agreed to keep Minister Silva as Environment Minister if she agreed to set Ministry goals closer to those supporting Brazil's economic development. CHICOLA