Special Report: Global Financial Crisis

    RIO DE JANEIRO, Oct. 24 (Xinhua) -- Brazilian Environment Minister Carlos Minc said on Friday that the Amazon Fund, an initiative to gather funds for the preservation of the Amazon Rainforest area, will not be damaged by the world financial crisis.

    At the first meeting of the Amazon Fund's Guiding Committee, held in Brasilia, Minc said several companies, including Petrobras, Wal-Mart and AES, have expressed their interest to donate to the Fund. He assured that the names of the first donors will be announced soon.

    So far, only the Norwegian government has formally announced its intention to donate to the Fund. Norway will donate 1 billion U.S. dollars by 2015. Its first part of the donation will be 140 million U.S. dollars, which will be made in 2009. The Brazilian government expects to start using the Fund's money next year.

    Minc also announced that the deforestation in the Amazon Rainforest area fell in September, lower than the average of the previous three months, which was 650 square km.

    In August, the deforested area in the Amazon Rainforest increased 133 percent, reaching 756.7 square km.

    Minc attributed the increase to the upcoming elections, saying that the politicians did not want to take unpopular measures against wood-related and transport companies for fear of losing votes.