Text produced by the Brazil Climate, Forests and Agriculture Coalition*
In addition to having one of the largest forest assets on the planet, Brazil has great potential to significantly reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the land use sector. So much so that a large part of its ambitious commitments (NDC) for the Paris Agreement — ratified in September — focus on forests and agriculture.
The volume of Brazilian targets involves 32 million hectares of land: 12 million linked to forest recovery, 15 million linked to pastures and 5 million to crop-livestock-forest integration. The country also included in the NDC the end of illegal deforestation in the Amazon by 2030, reaching 18% of biofuels participation in the energy matrix and reaching 23% of renewable energy participation (in addition to hydroelectric) in the supply of electricity by 2030.
All of these efforts require technologies for pasture recovery, the use of biomass, and crop-livestock-forest integration, which are already available in the country. However, they still depend on regulation, systematic dissemination, and resources for investment in reducing Brazilian emissions. Despite the 80% decrease in deforestation in the Amazon — recorded in the comparison of data between 2004 and 2014 — the rate increased by 24% in 2015, according to data from INPE (Institute for Space Research). Therefore, combating deforestation and promoting solutions on several fronts are essential for the implementation of a low-carbon agricultural and forestry economy.
Brazil currently accounts for 2.5% of the global total of CO2and, which places it among the 10 largest emitters in the world. The country is highly relevant in the global scenario of climate change also due to its natural characteristics and its economic potential. Around 60% of its territory is still covered by native vegetation, it is one of the world's largest food producers, with agriculture accounting for 21.5% of the national GDP. It is also home to 12% of the planet's forests, which constitute the largest stock of biomass (carbon) on the globe. And it was the third major economy to ratify the Paris Agreement domestically, contributing to its entry into force before COP 22.
In this scenario, the Brazil Climate, Forests and Agriculture Coalition — a multi-sector movement that brings together more than 150 companies, civil society organizations, sector entities and research institutes — works to build consensus around practical solutions that lead to compliance with the NDC. It also coordinates dialogues with the government and international partners, organizes debates and seeks to influence decisions that advance the economy and combat climate change.
The Brazil Coalition is organized into eight working groups, with more than 70 people in constant activity. They are: Low-carbon agriculture; Bioenergy; Forest Code; International cooperation; Tropical forest economy (focusing on timber traceability and combating illegal deforestation); Logistics; Restoration/reforestation (including the economic use of native and exotic species); Valuation and ecosystem services (promoting the carbon market and the importance of the REDD+ mechanism).
Below is a summary of the main points in focus, aiming to reduce Brazilian emissions, in a fair, competitive, sustainable and inclusive context..
Transparency about areas to be recovered, restored or protected — Brazil is close to completing the Rural Environmental Registry (CAR), which indicates how many areas with vegetation cover to be restored or protected exist on each agricultural property. According to the Brazilian Forest Service, 97.4% of 397.8 million hectares of registrable areas had been registered by October of this year. In addition to completing the Registry, the Brazil Coalition argues that it is necessary to make the information accessible to the public, so that it can have a clear view of the total to be restored or protected and, thus, transparently guide public policies, as well as the implementation of forestry legislation.
More robust mechanisms to encourage the protection of native vegetation — The reduction of deforestation and the socioeconomic and sustainable development of the Amazon, Cerrado, Caatinga and other Brazilian biomes can be leveraged through the application of the Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+) mechanism. Based on the reduction in deforestation in the Amazon between 2006 and 2015 (compared to the periods 1996 to 2005 and 1996 to 2010), Brazil could raise around 20 billion dollars. However, to date, it has raised almost 2 billion dollars. The Brazil Coalition advocates the creation or reinforcement of effective mechanisms, in addition to legal provisions, that allow for the capture, conservation, maintenance and increase of carbon stocks by forests.
Training and monitoring of forest restoration — The restoration or reforestation of 12 million hectares foreseen in the Brazilian NDC can occur for economic purposes or through ecological regeneration, and within a range of possibilities. All depend on training, investment, financial incentives and public policies. For this reason, the Brazilian Coalition has been working to create a platform for monitoring critical factors for restoration. The idea is to identify where these already exist: regulated public policies in the national territory, payment programs for environmental services, available seeds and seedlings, among other items.
Research and development of native species silviculture — Large-scale forest restoration, as Brazil aspires to, can occur with native species cultivated for economic purposes. This front has as its central element the need for more research and development (R&D) in forestry (seeds and seedlings). For this reason, the Brazil Coalition, together with its members, supports initiatives that stimulate genetic improvement, management and monitoring technologies for the selection of species with greater productivity, creating markets in the so-called tropical forest economy.
Low-carbon agriculture — In order to scale up practices that will allow for the predominance of agricultural and livestock production characterized by low carbon emissions, it is essential to intensify these activities through the use of new technologies. The set of actions to transform the current reality includes: dissemination of such technologies, dissemination of technical assistance and provision of resources to finance all this adaptation that still does not reach rural producers efficiently. The Brazilian Coalition understands that it is necessary to invest in partnerships between public and private agents and civil society, creating a joint and long-term strategy that meets the demand of rural producers, focusing on the goals assumed in Paris.
Bioenergy — The Brazilian Coalition studies and makes proposals to assist in the development of long-term public policies that value bioenergy in the country and lead to the global standardization of the use of biofuels. After all, the energy sector represents approximately 25% of Brazilian GHG emissions. Thus, the country has committed itself, among other goals, to reaching 18% of biofuels in the energy matrix and to achieving 23% of renewable energy (in addition to hydroelectric power) in the supply of electricity within the same period.
*The Brazil Climate, Forests and Agriculture Coalition is a multi-sector movement, of which CEBDS is one of its 150 members, which was formed with the objective of proposing actions and influencing public policies, which lead to the development of a low-carbon economy. Know more. http://coalizaobr.com.br/
*Image: Imaflora
