Conserving the Amazon in Brazil
Context
As the largest tropical forest globally, the Brazilian Amazon Forest plays a crucial role as a primary carbon sink, contributing significantly to our fight against climate change. Beyond its environmental impact, it serves as a vital refuge for approximately 10% of the world’s biodiversity and provides sustenance and shelter for numerous traditional communities.
Unfortunately, deforestation, forest degradation, and shifts in land use, particularly in agriculture, have collectively contributed to 23% of all anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions worldwide between 2007 and 2016. Within Brazil, these activities accounted for a staggering 63% of national emissions in 2015. Although there was a decline in the Brazilian deforestation rate from 2004 to 2012, recent years have witnessed a concerning resurgence in these figures. Hence, there is an immediate and pressing need to explore alternative socioeconomic development approaches that prioritise the value of these standing forests.
Project
Fazenda Manoa, situated in RondĂ´nia in the northwestern region of Brazil, has received international recognition for sustainable forest management practices. The main objective of the project is developing activities to mitigate climate change, reduce GHG emissions caused by deforestation and forest degradation, promoting social well-being and conserving local biodiversity.While neighbouring properties have succumbed to forest loss due to cattle ranching and soybean farming, since 2017, Fazenda Manoa remains an exception. It has evolved into a sanctuary for over 780 species of fauna in the region.
The Manoa project was established in 2013 with a 30 year crediting period. The project activities include:
- Environmental education for local communities
- Research and monitoring (partnerships with research institutions)
- Sustainable forest management practices
Since 2018, the project has been an integral part of the “Compromisso com o Clima” (Commitment to Climate) platform of Instituto Ekos Brasil.
Verification
This project is verified by the Verified Carbon Standard. You can view it on the Verra Registry here. It is also a certified CCBS.
Climate solution #38
Forest protection
In their biomass and soil, forests are powerful carbon storehouses. Protection prevents emissions from deforestation, shields that carbon, and enables ongoing carbon sequestration.
For each hectare of forest protected, the threat of deforestation and degradation is removed. By protecting an additional 335-466 million hectares of forest, this solution could avoid carbon dioxide emissions totaling 5.5-8.8 gigatons by 2050. Perhaps more importantly, this solution could bring the total protected forest area to almost 0.98-1.1 billion hectares, securing an estimated protected stock of 179-203 gigatons of carbon, roughly equivalent to over 655-743 gigatons of carbon dioxide if released into the atmosphere.
The benefits of forest conservation include biodiversity protection, non-timber products, erosion control, pollination, ecotourism and other ecosystem services.
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UN Sustainable Development Goals
The 'Fazenda Manoa REDD+ Project' project aligns with the following UN Sustainable Development Goals:
Ensure that all girls and boys complete free, equitable and quality education.
Ensure access to water and sanitation for all.
Promote inclusive and sustainable economic growth, employment and decent work for all.
Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns.
Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts.
Sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, halt and reverse land degradation, halt biodiversity loss.
Revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development.
Read more about the Sustainable Development Goals
