The Jari Valley REDD+ Project is a partnership between Biofílica Ambipar Environment S.A. and Jari Group, which is formed by Jari Celulose S.A. and the Jari Foundation, established to ensure forest conservation and reduction of potential greenhouse gas emissions, based on a model of local economic development that values the “standing forest”. The total credits verified for this project are 1,734,045 VERs
The Project is located in the municipality of Almeirim, state of Pará, and borders the state of Amapá to the north. The Area plays an important socio-environmental role in the region as it serves as home to hundreds of rural families and because it forms an ecological corridor, having several Conservation Units in its surroundings, a rich biodiversity, diverse plant formations and species of ecological and social importance.
Guaranteeing food security for families through the implementation of sustainable food production systems, recovery of degraded areas with agroforestry systems and diversification of agricultural production with nurseries that supply seedlings of varied species.
The project initially provided 303 families with training aimed at food production, social organisation, corporatism, leadership and financial management. The project is designed to enable better employment conditions across the community.
All project activities are designed to stimulate and encourage the participation of all the residents of the communities affected. Ensuring uptake and engagement among women, youth and marginalised people is a priority.
The conservation of natural resources coupled with socio-economic development is heavily promoted. The wellbeing of the 303 families across 15 communities are enhanced through focusing on sustainable business and income generation.
The Jari Valley REDD+ Project has the potential to reduce carbon emissions by 660,000 tCO2eq each year and by 19,800,000 tCO2eq over 30 years. Carbon offsets are generated by the avoidance of total deforestation of 64,866 hectares of native forest.
The Project protects High Conservation Value Areas and serves as an ecological corridor for Conservation Units. The project protects endangered plant life, including 133 fauna and 54 flora species that are endemic across the region.
The project supports numerous community activities, ranging from forest management to sustainable agriculture and the extraction of forest products.
The project not only directly benefits 30 families across fifteen local communities, but is also of great regional importance. In order to contain constant threats in the area, the project seeks to generate training in sustainable management and agro-extractive production. This promotes the wellbeing of communities and turns them into partners in the management of forest resources.
Despite its great importance, local biodiversity is constantly threatened by the degradation of forests across the region. For this reason, the Project aims to avoid deforestation and minimise socio-environmental impacts, promoting climate, communities and biodiversity benefits.
The activities developed by the project are economically viable due to the combination of the activities of Sustainable Forest Management and the commercialisation of carbon offsets through REDD+ mechanism.
Brazil is the largest country in South America. It has an extensive coastline to the east, covering over 7,491 kilometers (km), along the Atlantic Ocean and a land area of 8,510,295 km2, making it the fifth largest country in the world. The country shares a border with Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, and French Guiana in the northwest; Peru, and Bolivia in the west; and Paraguay, Argentina, and Uruguay in the southwest.
In addition to harboring over a third of the Earth’s tropical forests, Brazil is home to an extremely rich flora and fauna and a rich diversity of ecosystems including, but not limited to, the Amazon forest, the Cerrado (central plateaus, covering 21% land area), the Atlantic Forest (forests which extend along the Atlantic coastline), the Caatinga (desert shrubland in the northeast) and the Pantanal wetlands (encompasses the world’s largest wetland area, located along the western border). Brazil’s diverse and abundant natural resources, ecosystems, and significant biodiversity are world renowned.
The national territory comprises six unique biomes: Amazon, Caatinga, Cerrado, Atlantic Forest, Pampa, and Pantanal. The Amazon and Atlantic Forest are home to humid and seasonal forests and significant biodiversity. The Caatinga is characterized by semi-arid climate and arid plant life. Cerrado houses three major watersheds of South America, which makes it the richest savannah in biodiversity worldwide.
The population projected to reach 223.8 million people by 2030 and 228.9 million by 2050. An estimated 86% of the country’s population resides in urban areas, and this is expected to increase to 92% by 2050. The country’s economy is driven primarily by industry, its services sector and agriculture. Brazil is the largest net-exporter of agricultural commodities, with the agri-business sector contributing approximately 20% of the country’s GDP and over 30% of all domestic employment. Brazil is one of the world’s leading exporters of soybeans, beef, coffee, and automobiles.
Brazil adopted the Paris Agreement and submitted its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) to the UNFCCC in 2016 and its Updated NDC in 2020 in support of its adaptation commitments and continued economic and social development agendas. Through its NDC, Brazil has committed to reduce its GHG emissions by 37% below 2005 levels, by 2025. Brazil has also committed to address climate change impacts to the country’s sectors environment, forestry, agricultural and livestock, energy, and health sectors. Brazil submitted its Fourth National Communication to the UNFCCC in 2020.
Brazil has a complex and dynamic economy and is classified as a developing country. While the country experienced a period of economic and social progress between 2003 and 2014, in which more than 29 million people were lifted out of poverty and inequality declined significantly, the economic recovery weakened from 2015 to 2018. The more frequent and continuing periods of recession, which started in 2015, have left the country‘s economy sluggish and created significant political upheaval, stagnating the gains and pace of poverty and inequality reduction. In the first quarter of 2021, the unemployment rate reached 14.7%, the highest since 2012.4 Brazil’s macro-economic environment is expected to remain in place, however, a lack of structural reforms and the need for strong fiscal consolidation continues to create bottlenecks for expanded growth and productivity.
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2020 was $1.44 trillion and Brazil has experienced volatile growth rates, which fluctuated significantly over the past decade. The volatility of economic growth can be seen across the years, with the economy growing at an annual rate of 4.5% (between 2006 and 2010) to 2.1% (between 2011 and 2014). A significant contraction in economic activity occurred in 2015 and 2016, with GDP dropping by 3.6% and 3.4% (respectively).The country’s economy is driven primarily by industry, its services sector and agriculture. Brazil is the largest net-exporter of agricultural commodities, with the agri-business sector contributing approximately 20% of the country’s GDP and over 30% of all domestic employment. Brazil is one of the world’s leading exporters of soybeans, beef, coffee, and automobiles. Imports are dominated by agricultural and industrial machinery, electrical equipment, oil, and automotive parts from other countries, particularly China and the United States.
