Brazil's top court approves controversial forestry lawBrazil's supreme court has upheld major changes to laws protecting the Amazon rainforest, delivering a blow to environmentalists. The revision of the 2012 law includes an amnesty programme that scraps penalties for landowners who have cut trees down illegally in the past. Environmentalists say it will make illegal deforestation of the world's largest rainforest acceptable. The revised rule will reduce the amount of land that should be restored by 112,000 sq miles (290,000 sq km) - an area the size of Italy. Environmentalists say the revised laws will reward those who have deforested in the past.

Source: VietNamNet News March 01, 2018 06:33 UTC