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| Atlantic Forest Restoration Pact | |
|---|---|
| Name | Atlantic Forest Restoration Pact |
| Formation | 2000 |
| Type | Network |
| Headquarters | Brazil |
| Region served | Atlantic Forest |
Atlantic Forest Restoration Pact
The Atlantic Forest Restoration Pact is a multistakeholder network formed to coordinate large-scale reforestation and ecological restoration across the Atlantic Forest biome in Brazil. The Pact brings together NGOs, universities, corporations, governments, foundations and community groups to restore degraded landscapes, enhance biodiversity, sequester carbon dioxide, and reconnect fragmented habitats in one of the world's most threatened ecosystems. It is notable for convening partners including conservation organizations, academic institutions, financial donors and municipal authorities to align restoration targets and best practices.
The Pact emerged in the context of escalating concern over deforestation in the Atlantic Forest (Mata Atlântica), a biome once spanning areas of Brazil, Paraguay, and Argentina and subject to historical clearing linked to sugarcane, coffee, and cattle ranching expansion. Early initiatives drew on expertise from institutions such as the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics, the Society for Wildlife Research and Environmental Education (SPVS), and international partners like the World Wide Fund for Nature and The Nature Conservancy. Influential conservationists and scientists affiliated with universities including the University of São Paulo, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, and Yale University helped frame targets consistent with global commitments such as the Convention on Biological Diversity and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. The Pact's formation was shaped by dialogues with ministries including the Ministry of the Environment (Brazil) and regional implementation agencies linked to municipal governments across São Paulo (state), Rio de Janeiro (state), and Bahia (state).
The Pact’s mission aligns restoration science with policy instruments and private-sector incentives to achieve a resilient, connected Atlantic Forest landscape. Core objectives include restoring millions of hectares guided by the Restoration Opportunities Assessment Methodology and national targets under the Brazilian Native Vegetation Protection Law (Forest Code), improving habitat connectivity for endemic species such as the golden lion tamarin, supporting ecosystem services like water security for metropolitan regions including São Paulo (city) and Porto Alegre, and mobilizing finance via instruments referenced by entities like the Green Climate Fund and multilateral banks such as the Inter-American Development Bank.
The Pact operates as a coalition with a coordinating secretariat that convenes partners from civil society groups including SOS Mata Atlântica Foundation, research centers such as the Biological Dynamics of Forest Fragments Project, private companies, and philanthropic organizations like the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation and Clinton Foundation. Decision-making draws on advisory councils comprising representatives from state governments, municipal secretariats, and academic partners such as the Federal University of Minas Gerais and Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro. Governance features working groups on technical standards, finance, and policy interfacing with instruments like Payments for Ecosystem Services schemes and regulatory frameworks administered by the Brazilian Institute of Environment and Renewable Natural Resources.
Field activities promoted by the Pact include passive restoration, active planting using native species lists endorsed by botanical gardens and herbaria such as the Rio de Janeiro Botanical Garden, and agroecological mosaics integrating producers organized through networks like EMBRAPA and family farmer cooperatives. The Pact emphasizes landscape-scale planning using spatial prioritization tools developed in collaboration with research institutions including the International Union for Conservation of Nature and universities like Federal University of Paraná. Techniques reference seed sourcing protocols from seed networks such as SEEDNETWORK and nursery standards advanced by the Brazilian Association of Landscape Architects. Projects target corridors linking protected areas like the Serra do Mar State Park and internationally recognized sites including Ilha Grande and Iguaçu National Park.
Partners span international NGOs such as Conservation International, corporate participants from sectors including finance and pulp and paper, donors including the Mava Foundation and Global Environment Facility, and multilateral development agencies like World Bank. Funding mechanisms include blended finance models, carbon offset projects registered with standards like the Verified Carbon Standard, philanthropic grants from entities including the Ford Foundation, and public investments through state secretariats. The Pact collaborates with certification bodies such as Forest Stewardship Council and supply-chain stakeholders including exporters tied to commodities overseen by agencies like Brazilian Export and Investment Promotion Agency.
Monitoring programs integrate remote sensing from satellites operated by agencies like National Institute for Space Research (INPE) and field-based biodiversity surveys conducted by institutions including the Brazilian Biodiversity Fund. Research partnerships include collaborations with the Carnegie Institution for Science and regional labs at the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation to assess carbon fluxes, species recolonization, and hydrological outcomes. Impact assessment employs standardized indicators informed by the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services and links to national reporting under the Paris Agreement and CBD National Reports prepared by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Brazil).
Critics point to challenges balancing restoration goals with land tenure issues involving smallholders and private estates, conflicts with agribusiness interests represented in bodies such as the National Confederation of Agriculture and Livestock, and uneven enforcement of the Forest Code. Other concerns include ensuring social inclusion of traditional communities like the Quilombola and Indigenous groups, verifying additionality in carbon finance markets scrutinized by environmental economists at institutions like London School of Economics, and scaling nursery capacity while preventing genetic homogenization flagged by botanists at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Operational challenges involve coordinating across federal, state and municipal jurisdictions including Minas Gerais (state), Santa Catarina (state), and Espírito Santo (state) and maintaining long-term funding commitments from corporations and multilateral partners.
Category:Conservation in Brazil