Companies and NGOs ask Biden to approve $9 billion against deforestation

May 11, 2022

Robert

A letter signed by companies and associations of civil society and indigenous peoples was sent this Tuesday (10) to President Joe Biden asking for the approval of the Amazon21 Act, a fund of US$ 9 billion (R$ 46.1 billion) to combat deforestation in developing countries.

The project, which will be discussed this Thursday (12) in a US Congressional committee, was announced by the US president during COP26 (UN Conference on Climate Change).

Among the 23 signatories of the letter is the Coalizão Brasil Clima, Florestas e Agricultura, which brings together large companies such as JBS, Bradesco, BRF, Cargill, in addition to the main associations linked to Brazilian agribusiness.

According to the document, it is essential to create a global instrument to support forest conservation efforts. In the case of the Amazon21 Act, support would be in the form of a trust fund to finance the long-term preservation of forests, through mechanisms such as payment for environmental services.

“We believe that this measure would represent an important sign of the commitment of President Joe Biden and the US Congress to combat climate change, targeting one of the main sources of greenhouse gas emissions”, says the text.

In addition to President Biden, the letter was addressed to US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and representatives of the Democratic and Republican parties.

The signatories also indicate principles for the fund to be operated efficiently. One of the requests is for forest peoples to be the priority group for receiving resources, as they “historically contribute to its conservation and have their way of life directly affected by the escalation of deforestation.”

The letter highlights that Brazil concentrates about two-thirds of the Amazon rainforest and that more than 75% of the forest has lost its resilience since the beginning of the 21st century, which brings the biome closer to a tipping point.

The text also mentions the recent escalation in deforestation rates, warning that Brazil accounted for 40% of all primary tropical forest loss in the world in 2021 and that, between August 2020 and July 2021, the biome lost more than 13 2000 km² — the highest rate recorded since 2006.

“The destination of international resources, therefore, is essential to avoid the collapse of our forest ecosystems”, say the signatories.

Read the letter in full:

The undersigned organizations of Brazilian society, represented here by civil entities, the private sector, indigenous organizations and traditional communities, support the approval of the America Mitigating and Achieving Zero-Emissions Originating from Nature for the 21st Century Act (AMAZON21 Act), which authorizes the creation of a US$9 billion trust fund for the US State Department to sign long-term bilateral agreements to combat deforestation in developing countries. We believe that this measure would represent an important sign of the commitment of President Joe Biden and the US Congress to combat climate change, targeting one of the main sources of greenhouse gas emissions.

Brazil concentrates about two thirds of the Amazon rainforest, the largest tropical forest in the world. More than 75% of the forest has lost its resilience since the beginning of the 21st century, according to a study published in March in the journal “Nature Climate Change”, which brings the biome closer to its tipping point. However, according to the Global Forest Watch platform, Brazil accounted for 40% of all primary tropical forest loss in the world in 2021. Between August 2020 and July 2021, the biome lost more than 13,200 km², according to the National Institute for Space Research (Prodes/Inpe), an increase of 22% compared to the previous 12 months, and the highest rate recorded since 2006.

In a document developed by more than 200 scientists, the Scientific Panel for the Amazon warned that about 17% of the Amazon forests have been converted to other uses and at least another 17% have been degraded. This loss may compromise the biome’s role in global water cycles and in the regulation of climate variability, in addition to accelerating its savannization process. The destination of international resources, therefore, is essential to avoid the collapse of our forest ecosystems.

We understand that it is essential to create a global instrument that supports forest conservation efforts. In order for such a mechanism to be efficient and of great impact, we have taken the liberty of indicating some principles for its efficient and effective operation. Are they:

Establish a simple and transparent financing system, with broad governance and civil society participation;
Establish clear and receptive rules for projects conceived by all spheres of public power, communities, third sector organizations, academia and the private sector;
Allocate resources based on results, especially keeping the forest standing;
Prioritize direct access to financing for forest peoples, who historically contribute to its conservation and whose way of life is directly affected by the escalation of deforestation.

We remain available to contribute in any way necessary for the AMAZON21 Act to achieve efficient results that lead to the maintenance of the standing forest and ensure the quality of life of the Amazonians, benefiting the global community.

Yours sincerely,

Agropalma

The forest

Kanindé Ethnoenvironmental Defense Association

BV Rio

CBKK S/A

Climate Policy Initiative

Brazil Coalition Climate, Forests and Agriculture

National Council of Extractive Populations (CNS)

Coordination of Indigenous Organizations of the Brazilian Amazon (Coiab)

Fame Investments

Brazilian Foundation for Sustainable Development (FBDS)