With support from the World Bank, funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF), the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and the German Development Bank (KfW), Brazil is reversing the rate of deforestation and increasing the number of hectares in protected areas in the Amazon basin, balancing conservation goals and the demand for natural resources. After reaching a new low rate of deforestation of 11.7 percent, the program is earning worldwide recognition.
Challenge
Brazil’s Legal Amazon Region is the world’s largest intact tropical rain forest. It encompasses around 5 million square kilometers and contains carbon stores estimated at around 120 billion tons. Despite the region’s significant influence on the global climate, it remains threatened by deforestation associated with increasing settlement and expanding agricultural, ranching, logging, and mining operations. A history of poorly planned and managed economic development projects also contributed to the loss of tropical forest, degradation of watersheds, and overexploitation of wildlife and fisheries. The region’s vast size, a lack of managerial capacity and resources, vested interests, and poverty have also slowed regional and national reform efforts.
See full Press Release: http://www.worldbank.org/en/results/2013/10/09/Brazil-protects-Amazon-increasing-size-protected-areas
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