The role of the Extractive and Sustainable Development Reserves in the reduction of deforestation and forest conservation in the Amazon Ane Alencar

Spatial Distribution of RESEXs and RDSs 89 reserves 70 RESEXs e 19 RDSs ~ 24 millions of hectares Represent 19% of the area covered by reserves in the Brazilian Amazônia Hold 8% of the regional forests.

Evolution of RESEX and RDS ha ha

RESEXs e RDSs (Extractive Reserves and Sustainable Development Reserves) Have an important role in avoiding emissions from deforestation They have a historical contribution acting as deforestation barriers For their important contribution on the conservation of forest stocks, they should be compensated and could be receive the benefits from the REDD mechanism The conservation of such stocks is totally dependent on the social and economic sustainability of these reserves and their population

REDD can represent an opportunity to support the promotion of an forest based economy more adapted to the Amazon, consequently, helping to improve quality of life to forest peoples.

Role of RESEX and RDS on the reduction emissions from deforestation The efective contribution to the forest peoples to CO2 emissions reduction is: –The protection of forest carbon stocks –The contribution they have to the reducing deforestation in the agriculture frontier

Data needed to support the discussion of a REDD project Calculation of the carbon stocks –Deforestation –Resulting biomass stocks –Biomass and carbon density Calculation of the actual and future pressure Indication of the areas under higher risk of deforestation Calculation of the potential emissions related to the risks

RESEXs, RDSs and deforestation RESEXs and RDSs together had only 1.8% of their forests lost by deforestation From their 23,100,369 ha of original forest covering these reserves only 416,023 ha were deforested. Individually: RESEXs lost 2,8% of the total forest area ( ha), RDSs lost 0,6% of forest to deforestation (10,677,399 ha). Main reasons behind this difference: (1) Geographic location in relation to the proximity of agricultural frontiers and land use consolidated frontiers, (2) Distance and quality of infrastructure and access to the market and population centers (3) Age of these reserves.

Recent deforestation dynamic

Percentage of the forest lost The lack of investment by the government in promoting sustainable production practices has given incentives to the stabelishment of non forest land uses such as cattle ranching

RDSRESEXTOTAL Total Stock (ton C) Carbon density (ton C/ha) Total Stock (ton C) Carbon Density (ton C/ha) Total Stock (ton C) Carbon Density (ton C/ha) 1,473millions 112 1,500 millions 97 2,973 millions100 ~ 6 billions of tones of aerial biomass Representing a stock of ~ 3 billions of tones of Carbon Representing 6% of the total Amazon carbon stocks (47 PgC), and the same stocks of entire Brazilian states such as AC, RR e AP The carbon density on these reserves varied from 97 a 112 tones of C/ha Biomass and Carbon Stocks

Carbon stocks by RESEX and RDS 3 billions of tons C

Source: Alencar et al (Adapted from Saatchi et al. 2007)

Vulnerability to future deforestation

Scenarios of future deforestation If the business as usual scenario became true, 38% of the forest area in these reserves will be deforested by Comparing these two types of reserves, the RESEXs will continue to be the most vulnerable type of reserve losing 50% of their forests ( ha), while for the RDS this proportion would be ( ha). This reduction of the forest cover would represent 21 times the actual deforestation inside these reserves.

Potential emissions of CO 2 Potential emissions 2050: 3,4 billions of ton CO 2 Avoided emissions 2050: (Diference between GOV and BAU) 2,7 billions of ton CO 2 RESEXs = 2 Pg CO 2 RDSs = 0,7 Pg CO 2

The role of REDD in the future of RESEX and RDS 1.Increase value of products and forest economies 2.Support infrastructure to market integration and structure of low carbon productive chains 3.Support infrastructure and human resources to resource management 4.Build internal capacity to co-management and social organization

Conclusions The conservation of carbon stocks depends on the social and economic sustainability of the forest based economies and their population. Government investments to promote a strong and long lasting forest based economy, based on forest products represent an important step to implement such reserves It is fundamental to any discussion related to benefits and compensation of REDD to recognize the role that traditional people living in these reserves have to forest conservation

Conclusions Thus REDD projects can help to provide means to improve the quality of life and maintenance of land tenure security of these populations. Such benefits can be promoted by direct payments, subsidies to sustainable forest production as well as the provision of basic rights to these peoples.

Resources from REDD can be done through direct payments for environmental services However, direct payments alone will not provide the establishment and consolidation of a sustainable forest based economy Because of that, besides payment for environmental services, REDD projects have to contemplate investments for economic alternatives. It is fundamental that REDD projects that benefit the extractivists won’t be fragmented, so the proposal can be consistent and strong, benefiting not only the ones living in reserves under higher deforestation pressure, but also the ones living in remote reserves with low pressure. Main points about REDD and forest peoples

Thanks Ane Alencar Support: Secretaria de Assuntos Estratégicos –SAE Fundação Packard Acknowledgements: Mary Allegretti Vivian Zeideman Leonardo Pacheco Source: Alencar, A. and P. Moutinho Aspectos Ambientais das Reservas Extrativistas e de Desenvolvimento Sustentável na Amazônia. Nota Técnica, Centro de Gestão e Estudos Estratégicos – CGEE. Brasilia.