The Governors` Climate and Forests Task Force

mato grosso
The Governors’ Climate and
Forests Task Force
HISTORY AND CREATION IN CONTEXT
The Governors’ Climate and Forests Task Force– GCF is a platform for
collaboration among states that work to protect tropical forests and reduce
emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD+), creating
strategies for a sustainable form of development. It was created in 2008
after the signing of memoranda of understanding by members and
promotes cooperation on themes related to reducing tropical deforestation.
Since then the GCF has grown in membership and is now one of the
primary efforts to incorporate REDD+ into subnational, national and
international policies.
The GCF currently consists of 19 members from 7 countries, working
together to establish jurisdictional REDD+ programs and systems that
reduce emissions from deforestation and connect to different forms of
financing according to each state’s strategy. Several of its members are
building or implementing state regulations that create incentives for forest
conservation, reductions in deforestation and strengthening command and
control measures, such as strategies for a more sustainable development.
Six Brazilian states are members of the GCF: Acre, Amapá, Amazonas,
Mato Grosso, Pará and Tocantins. Each state has two representatives that
actively participate in all processes and events, replicating knowledge and
technical elements in their states.
OBJECTIVES
The GCF focuses on diverse aspects of REDD+ through the
sharing of experiences and lessons among its members and
articulation to support the creation and implementation of
jurisdictional systems. Its work is divided into four primary
working groups:
WG 1 • Subnational REDD+ Frameworks
Develops joint recommendations and options for the
establishment of subnational REDD+ systems. Addresses
issues such as baselines, MRV and registration among others,
to be incorporated according to state strategies. Engages
with voluntary carbon standards (ex: VCS) and shares lessons
learned with its members engaged in similar processes.
WG 2 • Financing Opportunities
Looks to identify and attract opportunities for financing of
REDD+ activities in GCF member states, including pay-forperformance, public financing and carbon markets, among
others. A primary result was the creation of the GCF Fund,
concerned specifically with supporting the subnational REDD+
efforts of its members.
WG 3 • GCF Database
A database for the GCF and its members that describes in detail
the activities in progress, as well as programs, policies and
projects, serving also as a tool for analysis of advances as well
as institutional, technical, financial and other needs. It has been
operational since July 2012, after an extensive and detailed data
collection process undertaken with members.
WG 4 • Stakeholder Involvement and
Communications
Seeks to stimulate and guarantee the participation of different
actors in the GCF process, such as civil society, the private
sector, indigenous peoples and traditional communities, among
others. Also works on communication and dissemination
strategies for the GCF and its activities in general.
| 02 |
MILESTONES AND CURRENT ACTIVITIES
Since its creation, the GCF and its members have made important advances, with some states already
implementing subnational REDD+ systems and programs. In Brazil, the GCF has become an important space for
discussion and articulation, allowing for the exchange of experiences and lessons and facilitating cooperation
among the Brazilian states. Some of the advances and actions developed in the last several years are:
GCF Fund
Meetings and Technical Workshops
Established in 2011, the fund seeks to support the
shared needs identified by GCF members in the
process of building their jurisdictional REDD+
programs, as well as to support specific activities.
It will be an independent, transparent and payfor-performance-based financing mechanism, an
innovative initiative for the financing of subnational
REDD+ actions. The results of its investments will be
disseminated among all GCF members, amplifying
its positive impact. Its first donation of $15 million
was made by the U.S. State Department, and the Fund
is seeking additional funding in order to increase its
investment capacity.
Several technical meetings over the last two years
have focused on the current REDD+ processes
underway in Brazil, to discuss and construct technical
recommendations for the working groups, and share
pioneering experiences and lessons learned, among
other things. The meetings represent an important
space for the articulation and strengthening of relations
between GCF members and are a fundamental part of
the GCF process in Brazil, also serving to catalyze other
related processes.
GCF Database
A complete, public and transparent source of up-todate information about REDD+ activities under way
in member states. The database was created from
in-depth research and offers up-to-date information
on deforestation, financing, projects and regulations,
among others. More than a source of information,
it serves as an instrument for the identification and
evaluation of the member states’ gaps and needs
relating to REDD+. It is available at http://www.
gcftaskforce-database.org.
Participation in Events, Fundraising and
Capacity Building
Another important activity is the support and
participation of the states in meetings and other
processes related to REDD+, as much at the national as
the international level. These can be either technical
or financial, besides the development of studies and
technical materials as well as the organization of events,
capacity-building and trainings.
Targets and Future Activities
Since its creation, the GCF and its members have achieved important results. With the objective of continuing
to support members more completely and actively, our goals for the next year are:
Articulation of REDD+ processes
Support the states in articulation related to the
creation of their national systems and processes
GCF Fund
Secure additional resources for the Fund, which
begins its operations in January 2013
Subnational Frameworks
Revisit and adjust processes based on the advances
achieved by its members, support and strengthen
multi-stakeholder processes, coordinate activities
supported by the GCF Fund and develop technical
workshops
GCF Database
Continue to steward and improve the provision of upto-date and detailed information
GCF Training Program
Develop a training program for its members, civil
society and other stakeholders, with a focus on tools
for the building of jurisdictional REDD+ approaches.
| 03 |
mato grosso
The State of Mato Grosso is located in West-Central
Brazil, bordering the states of Pará and Amazonas (to the
north), the state of Mato Grosso do Sul (to the south), the
states of Goiás and Tocantins (to the east), and the state
of Rondônia and Bolivia (to the west). Mato Grosso is the
third largest state in Brazil in area, and is comprised of
three biomes: Amazon (52%), Savannah (41%) and Pantanal
(7%).
Mato Grosso possesses considerable protected areas,
including 70 Indigenous Lands, 23 Federal Conservation
Units (UCs); 45 State UCs; 39 Municipal UCs and 2
Quilombos. Among the UCs, Mato Grosso possesses 20 Private Natural Heritage Reserves
(RPPN), one of Brazil’s largest areas of RPPNs, totaling 191 thousand hectares of private
properties transformed into lands for the conservation of biodiversity.
Mato Grosso has developed pioneering solutions to improve forest governance, with a system
of environmental permitting for rural properties and the Rural Environmental Registry, in
addition to the State Environmental Code, the State System of Conservation Units, the Forest
Policy, State Policy on Water Resources and State Policy on Solid Waste.
Recently the state has been stewarding the creation of public policies for the mitigation
of greenhouse gas emissions (GGE), adaptation to climate change and the maintenance
and increase of forest carbon stocks. In this regard, the approval of Law 9878/13, which was
sanctioned in January of 2013 by Governor Silval Barbosa and created the State REDD+
System, deserves mention. The government of Mato Grosso is looking to consolidate its
strategy to reduce deforestation by valuing its forests and through the implementation of a
more sustainable, low carbon model for agriculture.
A LOOK AT
MATO GROSSO
Population: 3,033,991 residents (IBGE/
SEPLAN, 2010)
AREA: 903,357,091 km2
GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT: 57.3
billion (2009)
FOREST TYPES: Lower montane alluvial
broadleaf forest, open broadleaf forest, lowland
and lower montane semideciduous alluvial
forests, lower montane seasonal deciduous
forests and ecotones
FOREST OWNERSHIP: 22% protected
public and 78% private
PROTECTED AREAS: 5,261,399,012 ha
INDIGENOUS LANDS: 13,684,715,053 ha
FOREST MANAGEMENT: 2,805,510,090 ha
| 04 |
Silval da Cunha Barbosa
Governor of Mato Grosso
“Actions to protect the
climate will always be
supported and prioritized
in Mato Grosso, since our
economy is highly dependent
on climate and REDD+ is
a unique opportunity to
promote the conservation
and recovery of forests and
also to improve the quality of
life for the citizens of Mato
Grosso.”
REDD+ IN MATO GROSSO
Reduction of Deforestation in Mato Grosso
Mato Grosso has promoted drastic reductions in deforestation in its
territory, from a level of 11,814 km2 in 2004 to 828 km2 in 2010, a 93%
reduction in deforestation. Results of the first period of targets set by the
State Government in its Action Plan for the Prevention and Control of
Deforestation and Forest Fires – PPCDQ/MT for the period of 2006 to 2010,
in which a target reduction in deforestation of 64% was set, show the state
reached reductions of 68.28%. The creation of the State REDD+ System
constitutes a great advance for the maintenance of low rates of deforestation
and the strengthening of forest conservation.
Mato Grosso - Prodes/INDE
30000
Mato Grosso
25000
Amazônia Legal
Km2
20000
15000
10000
5000
0
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
Process of Creating a State REDD+ System
Law 9878/13, which established the State REDD+ System, was created with
intensive public participation through the REDD+ Working Group (WG)
within the Mato Grosso Forum on Climate Change – FNMC.
In an open process, the creation of the Law counted on 78 members from
38 institutions, including the State Secretary of the Environment and other
State Secretaries, nongovernmental organizations, legislative assemblies,
representatives from the agriculture and forestry sectors, small-scale
farmers, social movements, the order of attorneys of Mato Grosso, and
educational institutions, among others. It took more than 2 years of work,
including four months of consultation with SEMA-MT, 10 sectoral dialogues
and 35 meetings of the REDD+WG/FMMC, a space where over 170
contributions were systematically analyzed.
The importance of implementing the State REDD+ System is due to the fact
that nearly 60% of the land in Mato Grosso remains in forest, which urgently
need a mechanism with the potential to effectively reduce deforestation by
attacking its causes and primary vectors.
In this context it was possible to consolidate the State REDD+ System,
making it technically consistent, with clear objectives and principles,
containing socioenvironmental safeguards and with the potential to
produce climate benefits as well as socioeconomic benefits for local
populations.
| 05 |
SUMMARY
GCF IN BRAZIL
The GCF in Brazil has played an
important role in recent years in
articulating and capacity-building
among its member states. The Brazilian
states can be considered among the
most advanced in reference to the
creation of innovative regulations
for REDD+ and implementation of
pioneering REDD+ projects, which have
generated important lessons that are
shared among members and serve
as important subsidies for national
processes. Here, we present a brief
summary of the current status of each
Brazilian member state in relation to
REDD+ initiatives.
GCF POINT OF
CONTACT IN
BRAZIL
In Brazil, GCF is represented by
its member states and a national
coordinator responsible for
representing the GCF in country,
supporting the states in their REDD+
efforts, and articulation of GCF
activities in general, within Brazil and
in other forums. Since 2011, the Point
of Contact for GCF in Brazil is the
Institute for the Conservation and
Sustainable Development of the
Amazon- Idesam, which was selected
by the states to act as Task Force
facilitator in Brazil. More information is
available at www.idesam.org.br.
| 06 |
ACRE
The State of Acre is one of the most
advanced GCF states in the construction and
implementation of policies and regulations
relating to REDD+ and environmental services.
In 2010, after broad consultation, the state passed
a law creating the “State System of Incentives
for Environmental Services”- SISA, whose
programs’ objectives are to reconcile economic
development and forest conservation to mitigate
climate change. The ISA Carbon Program at SISA
regulates actions to reduce carbon emissions,
including REDD+, anticipating the development
of public and private projects, as well as other
actions, within a legal structure. In this context,
the state has been developing a partnership with
the Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) to discuss
the required elements of the Jurisdictional
and Nested REDD+ Initiative (JNRI), and, in
partnership with the firm Markit, is designing a
state registry system to guarantee the control and
transparency of future transactions within the
state. Moreover, Acre is one of the states selected
to receive financial support in the first phase of the
REDD+ Early Movers (REM) program financed by
the German bank, KfW.
AMAPÁ
Amapá is the Amazonian state with the lowest
rates of cumulative deforestation- merely 2.2% of
its forested area- and more than 72% of its territory
is protected (Conservation Units and Indigenous
Territories). The State has been adopting policies
and implementing various initiatives with the
forest sector and industry to guarantee economic
development based on the sustainable use of
natural resources. In terms of regulation of
REDD+, a process of discussions have begun to
build the foundations that will become statewide
legal milestones for environmental services
and emissions reductions. There are also some
important initiatives underway, such as a state
forest inventory and an analysis of the state’s
carbon stocks, as well as three REDD+ projects
being developed (two of which implemented
through partnerships between the state and
diverse institutions and one private project),
in addition an inventory of ecosystem assets
within Conservation Units for inclusion into state
patrimony.
AMAZONAS
Amazonas is the largest state in the Brazilian Amazon and is a pioneer in various
activities relating to climate change and ecosystem services. The state passed the first
Brazilian law foreseeing RED activities, the State Policy on Climate Change (PEMC),
approved in 2007, which also established the Forest Allowance Program (Bolsa
Floresta), the first PES program related to deforestation in the Amazon. It is in this
context that the state developed the first REDD+ project in the Amazon to be approved
by a voluntary standard, the Juma SDR REDD Project. To complement the PEMC, the
state is working on a State Policy on Environmental Services, which anticipates the
creation of the “State of Amazonas Environmental Services Administration System”,
as well as programs and institutional arrangements specific to the implementation
of related initiatives. The Policy for Environmental Services foresees an Evaluation
and Monitoring Commission for transparency, a Scientific Committee for technical
expertise and socio-environmental safeguards, and a Company, in the form of
Corporation (Sociedade Anônima), for assistance in the establishment of projects and
connections with markets.
PARÁ
Pará is a state that best reflects the magnitude of territorial dimensions and
pressures on the forests of the Brazilian Amazon. It is among the states with the
highest rates of deforestation, driven by diverse vectors and actors such as the
agricultural sector, mining and infrastructure. On the other hand, the state has been
implementing important initiatives to change this scenario, such as the innovative
Green Municipalities Program, which has achieved positive results in terms of
reducing deforestation and promoting social and economic development through the
sustainable use of natural resources. In addition, the state has various REDD+ projects
under development, including the first private project to be validated by the VCS
Standard. In terms of regulatory achievements, the state is revisiting the process of
discussions with various actors through the Para Forum on Climate Change, a space
where future legislation should be discussed and created, in partnership with civil
society institutions, the private sector and others.
TOCANTINS
The State of Tocantins has a pioneering history with initiatives related to
reducing emissions from deforestation. It was one of the first states to develop
REDD+ projects and to create a State Policy on Climate Change, Environmental
Conservation and Sustainable Development, which is currently in a revision
process. In recent years the state has been working on the issue of forest
conservation and ecosystem services with a different lens than the other states of
the Amazon, that of ecosystem assets and their incorporation as state patrimony.
The logic is to incorporate state ecosystem assets into its patrimony, which could
generate a series of fiscal benefits, such as an increase in the state’s borrowing
capacity. The incorporation of ecosystem assets into state patrimony, through their
quantification and validation, influences GDP and the state’s budget. Despite
not having intentions to implement or have REDD+ as a mechanism generating
revenue for the state, Tocantins supports the development of such initiatives by the
private sector and non-governmental organizations.
| 07 |
www.gcftaskforce.org
CONTACT
Mato Grosso- State Secretary of Environment – SEMA
Minister- José Esteves de Lacerda Filho
Centro Político Administrativo – CPA- Palácio Paiaguás
Rua C, esquina com Rua F- CEPÇ 78050-970- Cuiabá/MT- Brazil
+55 (65) 3613-7201 • http://www.sema.mt.gov.br
Institute for the Conservation and
Sustainable Development of the
Amazon- Idesam
GCF Point of Contact in Brazil
Junia Karst
[email protected]
Mariano Cenamo
[email protected]