A newly released report from the non-governmental organizations Environmental Defense Fund and Forest Trends highlights success that has been achieved through innovative multistakeholder approaches to addressing deforestation in the tropics. Titled Collaboration Toward Zero Deforestation - Aligning Corporate and National Commitments in Brazil and Indonesia, the report includes cases studies of initiatives launched in the GCF Task Force member states of Mato Grosso and Pará (Brazil) and Central Kalimantan (Indonesia).
In Mato Grosso, the Produce, Conserve, Include strategy seeks to Reduce deforestation by 90% by 2030, rehabilitate 2.5 million hectares of pastureland, and register 90% of properties in the state's rural environmental registry. The program builds on the success Mato Grosso has realized over the past decade of reducing deforestation by more than 80%. Mato Grosso has formed a governance committee for the PCI that includes state agencies across sectors, producer groups, commodity purchasers, and civil society organizations. It is now working to disburse the initial investments of the approximately $12 billion needed to realize the ambitious goals of the initiative.
The report also highlights the São Félix do Xingu project in Pará, which capitalizes on synergies between private sector agreements, technical support from civil society organizations, and state run programs. Building on Para's Green Municipality Program and Green Value Added Tax, the program has reduced deforestation by nearly 80% with support from the Nature Conservancy, Wal Mart and Marfrig.
In Indonesia the report highlights advances made by a collaboration between GCF Indonesia country coordinator Inobu, the province of Central Kalimantan, and Unilever. The program is capitalizing on synergies between preferential sourcing agreements from the private sector and an ambition by the Central Kalimantan government to achieve 100%, province-wide sustainable palm oil. The public-private partnership is being piloted in the district of Katawingan Barat, where up to 600 farmers will be certified by the end of 2017.
More detailed information on each initiative can be found in the report.
The Governments of Mato Grosso, Pará and Central Kalimantan will participate alongside more than 30 other state and provincial governments for the launch of the Balikpapan Challenge next month at the GCF Annual Meeting in East Kalimantan, Indonesia. The Balikpapan Challenge seeks to build on momentum of early movers such as Mato Grosso, Para and Central Kalimantan and accelerate the pace at which commitments such as the Rio Branco Declaration are taken to action. The GCF meeting is open to the public, but registration is required by August 31st, 2017. Additional information on the meeting is available here.
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