Pristine forests and grinding poverty: why shouldn't Brazil's Amapá state embrace oil wealth?

The state's dilemma sums up a core problem faced by president Lula: how to reconcile environmental commitments with the need for developmentRead more: Latin America forges ahead on new oil frontierThe Brazilian state of Amapá is a densely forested chunk of land slightly larger than England and geographically isolated from the rest of Brazil. It has one of the country's lowest human development indices, and half its population lives in poverty."We have the best conservation figures in Brazil, perhaps the world," says Clécio Luis, Amapá's governor. "But our people are poor." Continue reading...