Leading by example: Brasil intensifies discussions on payments for ecosystem services at the G20
We pay for transportation, treatment, piping, packaging, and water usage. Why not also pay for the preservation of water sources by collaborating with indigenous peoples and traditional communities? Simply put, this was the central topic at the Climate and Environmental Sustainability Working Group meeting on Thursday, June 20th, in Manaus, the capital of the state of Amazonas.
Brasil is a reference in payments for ecosystem services (PES). At the G20, the country aims to advance the creation of a global fund to finance tropical forest conservation. PES policies promote the conservation, restoration, and sustainable use of ecosystems by providing financial compensation for environmental benefits. These policies are crucial for enhancing the competitiveness of sustainable practices, benefiting groups dedicated to forest conservation. Given that biomes and climate change transcend national borders, purely national environmental initiatives are insufficient.
The Tropical Forests Forever (Florestas Tropicais para Sempre) initiative has been at the center of debate around this issue. Proposed by the Brazilian government at COP28 at the end of last year, the initiative consists of creating a global fund to pay for the maintenance and restoration of tropical forests, which exist in over 60 countries. The proposal advocates for an annual fixed payment for each hectare of standing forest, with a reduction in the amount received for each hectare that is deforested or degraded.
"Nowadays we depend on yearly country donations. This means we have to wait every year [and see if the donations will come through], which generates insecurity. Country parliaments and their budgets [are constantly changing and must evaluate] whether other problems in the world are more urgent at a given moment. The system is limited, which is why we are proposing this initiative," explained Garo Batmanian, director-general of the Brazilian Forest Service (Serviço Florestal Brasileiro – SFB), describing the significance of the fund's creation for ensuring preservation.
According to data from MapBiomas 2022, in the last 30 years, Brazilian Indigenous lands have lost 1% of their native vegetation compared to a 20.6% native vegetation loss in private areas. Similar figures apply to quilombola lands, where, since 1985, the native vegetation loss in titled territories has been stipulated at 3.2% in contrast to 25% in private areas. These figures confirm the importance of the work of these stakeholders in environmental preservation, reverberating positively on a global scale.
Garo Batmanian exemplified the global nature of the agenda. "Tropical forests, for example, deliver an environmental service for the world. They maintain carbon stocks. Without forests, world temperature would rise by one degree. Due to the humidity it generates, the Amazon maintains the water that rains on all of South America," pointed out the expert in Ecology.
Diplomat Maria Angélica Ikeda, Director of the Environment Department at the Brazilian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stated that the proposal was well-received by G20 member countries. "The developed countries we have heard from so far have reacted positively to the proposal and appreciate Brasil's emphasis on paying for these environmental services. They are engaged in this discussion, as are the developing countries we have heard from," she added.
Tropical Forests Forever will continue to develop in upcoming debates and is on track to be launched at COP30 in Brasil next year. The event is scheduled to take place in Belém, in the state of Pará, also in the northern part of the country.
Brasil operates the Bolsa Verde program at the national level, providing quarterly payments to over six thousand families living in Sustainable Use Conservation Units, environmentally differentiated agrarian reform settlements, and territories occupied by indigenous peoples and traditional communities. These beneficiaries commit to caring for their regions, using natural resources sustainably, preserving the forest, and assisting in the monitoring and protection of these areas. They also gain access to technical assistance, socio-environmental rural extension services, environmental conservation, and socio-productive inclusion initiatives.
Relaunched in 2023, the Bolsa Verde program combines citizenship and social justice with environmental preservation, enhancing the quality of life and increasing the income of families. It is a strategic policy for protecting natural resources, reducing poverty, and promoting the sustainable development of the country.