Agendas for sustainability

There are significant differences between the nine states which make up Brazilian Amazônia in ecological terms, as well as from the point of view of economic occupation and destruction of vegetal cover. While three of the states are responsible for around 70% of the annual deforestation in the region, others maintain their stocks of resources practically intact given that they fall outside the area most affected by economic expansion.

In 1999, the Brazilian Ministry of the Environment undertook a process of dialogue with the Amazon states with the purpose of jointly defining guidelines and priorities to keep deforestation in check and, at the same time, to foster sustainable economic activities. This process, to which the name Positive Agendas was given, made it possible to draw up pacts between the federal government and different organized sectors within the states, thereby facilitating implementation of new instruments aimed at monitoring the use of natural resources and controlling their despoliation, rehabilitating the ravaged areas and resolving conflicts related to access to these resources.

Drawing up these pacts, together with efforts to respond to demands made by the states within the context of the Positive Agendas, was carried out under the auspices of the Natural resources Policy Project (SPRN), the aim of which is to invest in decentralization of environmental management policies through what are known as the Integrated Environmental Management Projects (PGAI). In general, the SPRN investments focus on strengthening state and municipal bodies that are responsible for carrying out activities concerned with environmental policies. Such investments have made it possible to acquire equipment and vehicles for state bodies and for the training of their technicians with the objective of improving instruments for the monitoring and control of the use of natural resources. Activities supported by the SPRN comprise integration of management activities between states and municipalities, the drafting of environmental laws and the creation of negotiating for resolving conflicts involving access to natural resources.

The experience of the PGAI in the states of Legal Amazônia has shown that decisions shared among different institutions can produce more effective results. Shared management makes it possible to gain a clearer view of local needs and leads to improved liaison with correlated initiatives, all of which serves to enhance involvement by the interested parties and to improve the chances of success.