Sustentar – International Forum for Sustainable Development
This is an annual event in its ninth edition, and brings together CEOs, national and international experts, managers and the general public to enable the construction of a new harmonious and sustainable economic model, ensuring both socio-economic progress and environmental preservation.
To learn more, go to: http://www.sustentar.net
Pantanal Wildlife Program
This three pillar program started in 2012 and includes research, environmental education based on reconnecting with nature, and economic development, in Cáceres / MT. It is funded by the Petrobras Environmental Program.
To learn more, go to: www.bichosdopantanal.org
CLIMAFUND BRASIL
The Brazilian Amazon rainforest houses the largest carbon sink in the world, fixed in the largest forest in the world, with unparalleled ecological wealth and diversity. Between 2006 and 2015 clear-cut deforestation has been reduced by 80% in the Amazon biome. And yet, despite declining deforestation rates over the last decade, efforts to protect the forest have not been sufficient, and many pressing challenges are still present. In particular, the reduction of deforestation in the Amazon was followed by an increase of deforestation in the neighboring Cerrado biome. Most importantly, the number of forest fires in Brazil has remained largely unchanged in the last 15 years, never falling below 100 thousand hotspots and reaching, in some years 250 thousand.
The threat of forest fires is set to become even more severe in the years to come since deforested areas and changing climatic temperatures together threaten to dry out the rainforest, increasing the susceptibility to fires. Fires in the Amazon are now a global concern, given the staggering emissions they produce. Seemingly unimportant small surface fires on grasslands bordering forests have a substantial impact. It has been shown in the Amazon that only two or three surface fires cause trees in the forest to die, releasing tons of CO2 into the atmosphere.
Land-use change contributed to 51% of Brazil’s total emissions between 1990 and 2014. Since forest fires are the most often used means to deforestation (being the most economical way to convert forest to pasture or agricultural land), official statistics do not indicate the contribution of forest fires. Yet a study by Alencar et al (2005) show that in 1998 most land-use change emissions in the Amazon can be related to the widespread deforestation. Similarly, the unfortunate irony is that the destruction of the forests also reduces our greatest global asset to mitigate the effects of climate change: the forest itself. Thus keeping the remaining forest is essential to maintaining CO2 in the trees.
The strengthening of forest governance via a trust fund could play a key role in reducing deforestation, forest fires and related greenhouse emissions in the Amazon. In this regard a study by Aragão and Shimabukuro indicate that the number of fires could be reduced by up to 70% in the Amazon as consequence of stronger governance structures. Such a policy could help the Brazilian government meet its ambitious emissions reductions target for 2030, which includes a goal of reducing greenhouse emissions by 50 percent. ClimaFund Brasil will be partly financed by foreign donors, whom are expected to make contributions based on Brazil’s performance in reducing emissions.
ClimaFund Brasil focuses on preventing and extinguishing fires in the Brazilian forests and grasslands because of the boundless opportunity to reduce CO2 levels in the atmosphere, with a positive national and international impact. Brazil hosts the greatest biodiversity in the world, with much of it occuring in the national parks and reserves. Fires represent the major source of Brazil’s contribution to global warming. As such, fighting fires in the national parks and reserves, as well as preventing fires from starting, is essential to reducing global warming, ensuring carbon sequestration, and preserving biodiversity.
The 4th Ranking and Product, Services and Sustainable Technologies Guide
This Sustainable Ranking of products and companies is an initiative to identify, evaluate and disseminate sustainable innovations carried out by private, public and third sectors. In its fourth year, the Ranking has pointe out achievements, with successful examples of innovations in products, services and non-profit initiatives, which generate positive impacts on their organizations and society. The knowledge collected by this Ranking is systematized and aims to be disseminated through Best Practice Guides for print and online as well as a dedicate website with the Guide to Good Practice.
Structured to assess, to rank and to highlight the sustainable innovations available in the market, the initiative aims to promote the professional management culture of sustainability and act as a benchmarking tool for organizations looking for sustainable models for their products, services and initiatives.
The expectation of Sustain Institute with the completion of rank is that it encourages research and development oriented to sustainability, making them the basis of national corporate development, as well as the proper management of sustainability, based on strategic corporate objectives and creator.
