Increased economic development while minimizing carbon emissions in Brazil and Indonesia

The purpose of the project was to increase economic development and human well-being while minimizing carbon emissions and habitat loss in two important sub-national demonstration landscapes and at the State, Province and National levels. 

The project aimed to achieve this by building out large-scale demonstration programs in two important sub-national demonstration landscapes – in Pará State, Brazil and East Kalimantan, Indonesia.

Why did Norway decide to support this project?

As the global population increases, a doubling of demand for food, fiber and fuel weigh upon the forests, grasslands, wetlands and all natural resources. TNC works to sustain the worlds land resources by protecting important habitats, to transform how we use working lands, and to inspire better land-use practices in areas that are facing most pressure for development.

TNC has over 15 years of experience in designing and implementing forest carbon programs in Brazil, Indonesia, Mexico, Bolivia and other locations. TNC is engaged in developing methods and standards for measuring emissions reduction and supporting community participation. The project aimed to contribute to natural forest conservation, sustainable development and poverty reduction by demonstrating a model for low-carbon development. The model focuses on improving livelihood of local communities and is thus relevant to the Norwegian priorities on both climate change, economic development, poverty reduction and strengthening of civil society. 

Results

Overall, Norad is pleased with the results TNC has achieved during the project period. The planned outcomes for the project were:

1. Farmers and ranchers adopt low-carbon agriculture and ranching practices
2. Indigenous communities better protect their territories and manage natural resources sustainably
3. Climate, social and environmental measure are established to guide land-use planning and implementation of best practices
4. Relevant stakeholders are effectively influencing municipal land-use planning processes
5. State and national governments utilize lessons learned from the project and global experience to shape policy frameworks
6. Effective institutions governing and managing Berau Forest Carbon Program
7. Key village communities have developed village development and natural resource management plans and have the capacity to secure additional funding through the BFCP and other channels to implement those plans
8. BFCP is integrated with Provincial and National REDD+ frameworks, including through performance based incentive agreements and functioning MRV (measurement reporting and verification) system.

TNC has presented progress towards the desired results and demonstrates partial achievement of the objectives listed above.

In Brazil, the Association of Family and Farmers in Alto Xingu has gained technical and operational capacity to support farmers and ranchers to adopt low-carbon agriculture and ranching practices. In Pará Kaña can indigenous people better protect their territories and manage their natural resources through the completed and validated Environmental Management Plan, which also contributes to the national policy framework to shape better environmental and territorial management, biodiversity conservation and human well-being in indigenous pilot lands. The São Felix do Xingo Green Development Program has further become one of the most well-known models of subnational deforestation control and sustainable rural development in tropical countries.

In Indonesia, the Berau Forest Carbon Program (BFCP) has contributed to 24 villages  now being on their way towards securing management rights over the forest, increase income and livelihood options, mobilize resources, and control decision and choices over natural resource use and land management. The Berau district was formally selected by the Government of Indonesia as one of seven districts in Indonesia’s proposal to the Carbon Fund of the World Bank, and the BFCP has established itself as a well-known model of subnational deforestation control and sustainable rural development in tropical countries

Based on the final report, Norad concludes that the project is relevant for the desired impact and has contributed to strengthening civil society actors.

Lessons learned

One of the lessons learned from the project is that major institutions may be risk avert and hesitant about contributing to the development fund managed by local stakeholders without financial management and experience. Another lesson learned is that results are best achieved through a holistic and participatory approach and that local organizations need technical assistance and support to develop their capacity.