Thaís Brianezi
Reporter Agência Brasil

Manaus – Yesterday the Second State Conference on the Environment began in Manaus. It is expected that 400 people will participate is discussions on the most important environmental problems in the Amazon and make proposals for solutions.

"We want a more efficient environmental policy," declared the state secretary of the Environment and Sustainable Development, Virgilio Viana.

The conference will run until Friday with discussions on a series of topics selected by the Ministry of Environment: biodiversity and forests, water and water resources, environmentla quality in settlements, means to achieve sustainable development, ways to strengthen the National Environmental System (Sisnama) and social control. The two Amazon regional topics on the agenda are this year's drought and Indian development.

Viana says that this year's drought could be linked to global warming and deforestation. And could mean more of the same in the future. "We must find ways to deal with drought in the Amazon, as well as work to prevent their occurrence in the future," he said.

The explanation for the inclusion of Indian development, explained Viana, is due to the fact that the Amazon has Brazil's largest indigenous population, with 120,000 Indians from 65 ethnic groups.

Translator: Allen Bennett