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| Amazon Region Protected Areas Program (ARPA) | |
|---|---|
| Name | Amazon Region Protected Areas Program |
| Established | 2002 |
| Location | Amazon rainforest (Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Guyana, Suriname, French Guiana) |
| Governing body | Ministry of the Environment (Brazil), Conservation International, World Wildlife Fund, The Nature Conservancy |
Amazon Region Protected Areas Program (ARPA)
The Amazon Region Protected Areas Program (ARPA) is a large-scale conservation initiative launched to expand and strengthen the network of protected areas in the Amazon rainforest and adjacent ecoregions, engaging national agencies such as Ministry of the Environment (Brazil), multilateral institutions like the World Bank, and international NGOs including Conservation International, World Wildlife Fund, and The Nature Conservancy to support biodiversity protection, indigenous rights, and climate mitigation. The program links landmark instruments and actors such as the Convention on Biological Diversity, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, and regional policy forums like the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization while coordinating with national protected area systems such as ICMBio and regional authorities in states like Pará (state), Amazonas (Brazilian state), and Acre (state).
ARPA originated from dialogues among actors including the Ministry of the Environment (Brazil), the World Bank, the Global Environment Facility, and NGOs such as Conservation International and World Wildlife Fund following high-profile events such as the Earth Summit and the formulation of targets under the Convention on Biological Diversity. Early pilots drew on models from initiatives led by organizations like IUCN and funding mechanisms such as the Global Environment Facility while aligning with national legal frameworks like Brazil's Sistema Nacional de Unidades de Conservação and federal laws administered by institutions like IBAMA. The program scaled through phases involving partnerships with subnational actors including governors of Pará (state), mayors of municipalities in the Amazonas (Brazilian state), and collaborations with indigenous federations such as the Coordination of the Indigenous Organizations of the Brazilian Amazon.
ARPA's objectives encompass expansion of protected area coverage across the Amazon rainforest ecoregion, strengthening management effectiveness in units like national parks, extractive reserves, and sustainable use reserves, and ensuring long-term financing consistent with commitments under the Convention on Biological Diversity and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Scope includes ecological connectivity across landscapes such as the Xingu River basin, Negro River basin, and transboundary corridors linking Brazil with neighbors like Peru and Colombia, and integrates social dimensions involving actors such as the National Indian Foundation (FUNAI), traditional communities represented by the National Council of Rubber Tappers, and municipal governments in regions like Manaus.
Governance arrangements combine federal bodies like the Ministry of the Environment (Brazil) and implementation agencies such as ICMBio with civil society partners including Conservation International, WWF, and SOS Mata Atlântica and financial institutions like the Banco Nacional de Desenvolvimento Econômico e Social and the World Bank. Management approaches deploy technical guidance from organizations such as the International Union for Conservation of Nature and training provided by research institutes like the National Institute for Amazonian Research (INPA), while enforcement coordination involves agencies such as IBAMA and local law enforcement units in cities like Belém. Decision-making incorporates multistakeholder platforms modeled on mechanisms used by the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization and consultation processes consistent with standards set by the International Labour Organization for indigenous consultation.
ARPA's financing architecture combines grant funding from multilateral donors such as the Global Environment Facility and loans or guarantees from the World Bank, complemented by contributions from bilateral partners including Germany and Norway and private philanthropy from foundations like the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation and the Walmart Foundation. Innovative mechanisms include endowment funding managed through entities similar to the Amazon Fund structure, payments for ecosystem services schemes tied to REDD+ discussions under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, and trust funds modeled on approaches used by organizations such as the Green Climate Fund and Biodiversity Fund pilots. Financial safeguards reference compliance with standards from the Equator Principles and donor requirements of agencies like the Inter-American Development Bank.
Conservation activities encompass establishment of strict protection units such as national parks and biological reserves, sustainable use categories including extractive reserves and sustainable development reserves, and indigenous territories coordinated with institutions like FUNAI and indigenous organizations such as the Brazilian Indigenous Peoples' Association. On-the-ground measures feature biodiversity inventories cataloged with support from the Brazilian Biodiversity Information System (SiBBr), habitat restoration projects informed by work at the Embrapa research centers, species-specific programs addressing flagship taxa such as jaguar, harpy eagle, and freshwater dolphins like the boto, and integrated fire and deforestation monitoring using systems developed by INPE and conservation partners like Imazon.
ARPA operates through partnerships among national governments (e.g., Brazil, Peru), multilateral institutions such as the World Bank and the Global Environment Facility, NGOs including Conservation International, WWF, and The Nature Conservancy, indigenous federations like the Coordination of the Indigenous Organizations of the Brazilian Amazon, and scientific bodies such as INPA and universities like the Federal University of Pará. Engagement strategies mirror those used in large conservation programs like the Protected Areas for the Amazon Project and integrate civil society groups including local NGOs in cities like Manaus and community organizations in riverine settlements along the Amazon River. Transboundary collaboration references mechanisms established by the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization and regional environmental agreements negotiated under forums like the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity.
Monitoring combines remote sensing systems maintained by INPE and analytical tools developed by institutions such as Imazon, with biodiversity monitoring protocols designed in collaboration with IUCN and species databases curated by the Brazilian Biodiversity Information System (SiBBr). Evaluation frameworks reference international targets from the Convention on Biological Diversity and reporting to stakeholders including the Global Environment Facility and donors like Norway and Germany. Outcomes cited include expansion of protected area coverage, improvements in management effectiveness assessed with tools from IUCN and WWF, and contributions to climate mitigation targets under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change via carbon sequestration in intact forests; these results are documented in studies conducted by research centers such as INPA and policy analyses by think tanks like the Institute of Applied Economic Research (IPEA).
Category:Protected areas of the Amazon