José Maria Cardoso da Silva’s Post

Good News About Decreasing Deforestation in the Atlantic Forest of Brazil A new bulletin from the Deforestation Alert System (SAD Mata Atlântica) reports that the deforestation rate decreased by 55% in the first half of 2024 (January-June) compared to the same period in 2023. While this is good news to celebrate, the loss of 21,401 hectares of forest (compared to 47,896 hectares in 2023) remains significant, indicating a long journey ahead to achieve Zero Deforestation by 2030. However, Brazil is back on the right track, as deforestation has also decreased in the Amazon and Cerrado, according to the latest PRODES data released recently. Achieving Zero Deforestation and prioritizing forest restoration are among the key nature-based solutions to tackle the global climate and biodiversity crises, with the Atlantic Forest poised to be a leading example of this effort. It is possible, urgent, and necessary. Let’s get there. Congratulations to Marina Silva, João Paulo Capobianco, André Lima, Raoni Rajão, PhD, Rodrigo Agostinho, and all the teams at Ministério do Meio Ambiente e Mudança do Clima and Instituto Brasileiro do Meio Ambiente e dos Recursos Naturais Renováveis - Ibama. Special thanks to Alexandre Gaio and Carlos Eduardo Ferreira Pinto for their leadership in the "Operação Mata Atlântica em Pé." SAD Mata Atlântica is developed by Fundação SOS Mata Atlântica Mata Atlântica and MapBiomas, with support from the Hempel Foundation and Bradesco. This positive news has been covered by Jornal Nacional, Folha de S.Paulo, and OGlobo. https://lnkd.in/da8Ubc6B https://lnkd.in/dgeb2X77 https://lnkd.in/dcGEAXRM

“How can biodiversity be guaranteed in reforestation projects?” This is the title of the article, recently published by the Brazilian magazine Istoe Dinheiro, that explores the reasons why restoring a forest from the point of view of biodiversity is still a challenge and shows the current limited use of native species in reforestation projects🌳 As our partners at Jardim Botânico Araribá told the magazine, the reasons for this are several, from the lack of native plant materials to the lack of knowledge or even interest, as the objectives of some tree-planting projects could be others than conserving biodiversity. When these projects, such as those focused solely on carbon sequestration, employ exotic species, could even end up causing damage to the environment instead of helping to reverse the loss of biodiversity, as stressed by The Global Biodiversity Standard (TGBS) manager David Bartholomew ⚠️💥   The Global Biodiversity Standard (TGBS), as mentioned by the magazine, seeks to raise awareness of the inseparable link between tree planting and biodiversity conservation being the first scheme that certifies projects where tree planting, habitat restoration and agroforestry practices are protecting, enhancing and restoring biodiversity🌳🦋🐦   Read the full article at: https://lnkd.in/drS-u6ZV #Biodiversity #TheGlobalBiodiversityStandard #TGBS #EcosystemRestoration #GenerationRestoration

The Brazilian research institute #MuseuParaenseEmílioGoeldi and CCCA’s #HeronMartins shed light on the potential dangers of decreasing the Legal Reserve on Amazonian rural properties from 80% to 50%, as outlined in bill PL 3334/2023. Dive into the comprehensive analysis, exploring the critical role of the Legal Reserve in safeguarding native vegetation, conserving biodiversity, and promoting sustainable resource management on rural lands. https://lnkd.in/dmf2SBAW

The Brazilian research institute #MuseuParaenseEmílioGoeldi and CCCA’s #HeronMartins shed light on the potential dangers of decreasing the Legal Reserve on Amazonian rural properties from 80% to 50%, as outlined in bill PL 3334/2023. Dive into the comprehensive analysis, exploring the critical role of the Legal Reserve in safeguarding native vegetation, conserving biodiversity, and promoting sustainable resource management on rural lands. https://lnkd.in/d4tp9DpV

Cerrado Takes the Lead in Deforestation, Even in Protected Territories! According to MapBiomas Brasil, the Cerrado biome, specifically the Matopiba region including Bahia, Piauí, Tocantins, and Maranhão, accounted for more than half of deforestation in Brazil in 2023. Alarmingly, the Cerrado leads in deforestation, even in protected areas, wreaking havoc on Indigenous lands and conservation zones. The report also indicates an alarming growth in deforestation in the region, emphasizing the importance of addressing this pressing issue. Learn more about the findings and implications: https://lnkd.in/dJx4hyT7 #Deforestation #Cerrado #Conservation #MapBiomasBrasil #EnvironmentalImpact.

Deforestation decreases in the Atlantic Forest but rises at the borders with the Cerrado and Caatinga! 🚨🌳 The Brazilian Atlantic Forest is one of the top biodiversity hotspots of the world, but it still suffers from deforestation and its long-term conservation is threatened. Despite a slowdown in deforestation rates, recent data by The Atlantic Forest Deforestation Alert System (SAD) shows that total deforestation in the Atlantic Forest jumped from 74,556 to 81,356 hectares between 2022 and 2023. That is the equivalent of more than 200 football fields deforested per day in 2023 ⚠️ The Atlantic Forest Deforestation Alert System (SAD) is carried out by Fundação SOS Mata Atlântica and Arcplan, in partnership with MapBiomas. "The reduction in deforestation in the continuous area of part of the Atlantic Forest is an encouraging sign that conservation policies and intensive monitoring are yielding positive results, similar to what we've seen in the Amazon. It's clear that the challenges in the Caatinga and especially the Cerrado are greater than ever, as is the enforcement of the Atlantic Forest Law in transition regions," says Luís Fernando Guedes Pinto, executive director of the Foundation. 💬 The Hempel Foundation supports Fundação SOS Mata Atlântica to contribute to decreasing deforestation and to strengthen the alliances of local NGOs for the conservation of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. Tools like the Atlas and SAD are crucial for monitoring and protecting these ecosystems. 💚 Read more about the project below. #SOSMataAtlântica #AtlanticForest #Environment #VivaAMata #SADMataAtlântica #AtlasMataAtlântica #Conservation #Deforestation #Biodiversity #Ecosystem #Reforestation #stopdeforestation

Depressing that this is still happening in the palm oil supply chain; global brands linked to illegal forest clearing for palm in one of Southeast Asia's most biodiverse national parks. An investigation by Rainforest Action Network identified a spike in forest clearance in the Rawa Singkil wildlife reserve in Indonesia’s Leuser ecosystem, the only place on Earth where orangutans, tigers, elephants and rhinos live together in the same habitat. The forest loss has been connected to Singapore-based palm oil firms with no-deforestation commitments that supply major consumer brands, such as Procter & Gamble, Nestlé, Mondelēz Internationalēz, PepsiCo, and Nissin Foods. The mills that palm oil grown on land cleared in the Rawa Singkil wildlife reserve were identified as owned by @PT Global Sawit Semesta (PT GSS). PT GSS supplies traders including Apical, owned by Royal Golden Eagle, and Musim Mas Group, a palm oil company also headquartered in Singapore. These companies have had no deforestation, no peat, no exploitation commitments in place since 2015 and 2014, respectively. RAN highlighted a failing in traceability systems that establish exactly where a palm oil plot was grown as key to companies struggling to weed deforestation out of their supply chains. Granular traceability is a key compliance requirement of Europe’s anti-deforestation law. The NGO also noted that Musim Mas and RGE had recently been granted sustainability-linked loans (SLLs), which give companies access to low-cost finance on the condition that they meet certain sustainability criteria. Among the KPIs for Musim Mas’ SLL, issued by Rabobank, was for the company to maintain a deforestation-free supply chain. The KPIs that underpinned RGE’s loans issued by MUFG included increasing the number of suppliers carrying out independent traceability verification to 100 per cent by 2025. The deforestation in the Rawa Singkil wildlife reserve is consistent with a national spike in palm oil-linked deforestation in the world’s biggest producer of the edible oil seen last year. However, the trend jars with a decline in deforestation observed elsewhere in the Leuser ecosystem. #deforestation #palmoil #leuserecosystem #sustainabilitylinkedloans

What is the Rondonia project of Amazon conservation? Fazenda Manoa, situated in Rondônia in southern Brazil, has received international recognition for sustainable forest management practices. The main objective of the project is developing activities to mitigate climate change, reduce GHG emissions caused by deforestation and forest degradation, promoting social well-being and conserving local biodiversity. While neighbouring properties have succumbed to forest loss due to cattle ranching and soybean farming, since 2017, Fazenda Manoa remains an exception. It has evolved into a sanctuary for over 780 species of fauna in the region. The Manoa project was established in 2013 with a 30 year crediting period. The project activities include: Environmental education for local communities Research and monitoring (partnerships with research institutions) Sustainable forest management practices Since 2018, the project has been an integral part of the “Compromisso com o Clima” (Commitment to Climate) platform of Instituto Ekos Brasil. To offset the majority (90%) of our emissions last year, we have funded avoiding 48 tCO2e via contributing to the Rondonia project of Amazon conservation in Brazil via Ecologi.

Recently, while on vacation, I had the pleasure of visiting Loro Parque in Tenerife. It is not only a zoo, but also a place that combines education, conservation and the amazing experience of interacting with wild animals. 🦜🐬   Loro Parque is not just a zoo, but a true center for biodiversity conservation. Here are some facts you should know, because the park itself and its foundation are doing an amazing job: - The park covers an area of 13.5 hectares and is a sanctuary for more than 400 species. Many animals find refuge here and return to the wild after being healed. - There is a penguinarium here, which is recognized as best reflecting the natural living conditions of these birds. 🐧 - Loro Parque has already been visited by more than 52 million people since it opened. Profits from ticket and souvenir sales support the work of the Loro Parque Fundación. - The foundation has allocated nearly $26 million to conservation projects. 😲 - Thanks to their efforts, 12 species of parrots have been saved from extinction. 🎉 - The foundation supports more than 240 conservation projects around the world. One of the projects conducted in the park itself is coral farming. 🐚 - The park has recently been producing more electricity using renewable energy sources than it needs. It also has a seawater treatment system, producing more than 600,000 liters of drinking water per day. 🌞   The park puts a very strong emphasis on education. At every turn we can come across interesting facts about overpopulation and its impact on the oceans. Here are some facts about our impact on the oceans: - According to greenmatch.co.uk, there are between 75 and 199 million tons of plastic in the oceans. If the growth trend continues, the mass of plastic in the oceans will exceed one billion tons in the next 40 years. - The Great Pacific Garbage Patch has an area of about 1.6 million km². This is approximately the area of Ukraine, France and Spain combined. The most interesting thing is that about 1% of the garbage in the seas and oceans floats. The rest sinks to the bottom. - The great garbage patch in the Pacific weighs about 80,000 tons. In comparison, the mega-container Ever Given, which blocked the Suez Canal in 2021, weighs around 66 thousand tons without any cargo.   The visit to Loro Parque was very inspiring, but it was sad to see how in the alleyways of a place like Loro Parque, with the ubiquitous posters presenting facts about the Earth's pollution, there was garbage piled up that was left everywhere: cups, bottles, candy bar wrappers. It gave me a lot to think about.   #loroparque #oceanpollution #education #plastic

GOOD AND BAD NEWS ON BRAZIL'S FORESTS Important messages in the article below by the #ThinkLandscape of the Global Landscape Forum: Good news: 1)     In 2023, deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon region fell by 50 per cent compared to the previous year. This is seen as a success for the government of the current president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva who took office in January 2023.  2)     Forest loss has also fallen sharply in the neighbouring countries of Colombia, Peru and Bolivia. Bad news 1)     In the Brazilian Cerrado, the tropical savanna region bordering the Amazon, deforestation surged by nearly 45 percent in 2023 compared to 2022. There, landowners are allowed to cut down up to 80 percent of trees on their lands. As a result, deforestation in the savanna is often legal and takes place on private land.  2)     Brazil’s conservative Senate has passed a controversial law that will significantly curtail Indigenous land rights marking a victory for the powerful agribusiness caucus in congress. This could have dire implications not only for the Amazon’s native inhabitants but also for its ecosystems, given that Indigenous Peoples have a solid track record in preventing deforestation. #AmazonDeforestation #CerradoDeforestation #ThinkLandscape