Institutional Scenarios for Research in Amazonia: The role

of Governmental and Non-Governmental Institutions

José Maria C. da Silva Conservation International

One of the major lessons from this conference: we

need to mainstream ecosystem services into

development models

Mainstreaming ecosystem services into development

models??

Mainstreaming ecosystem services

The objective of MAINSTREAMING is to internalize the goals for safeguarding resources into economic sectors and development models, policies, and programs, and therefore into all human behavior.

MAINSTREAMING is achieved primarily through human behavior change. It requires that safeguarding of ecosystem services is institutionalized in land-use planning services and is reflected in the day-to-day activities of the sector.

In Brazil, the best window of opportunity to mainstreaming ecosystem services is through LAND-USE PLANNING FRAMEWORKS that are already available in the country’s legal framework (ZEEs, Planos Diretores, Planos de Bacias).

One of the major global scientific challenges is how

to plan and implement SUSTAINABLE LANDSCAPES

in order to mainstream ecosystem services into

development models

Sustainable landscapes

The major focus of a research agenda should be to plan and implement SUSTAINABLE LANDSCAPES (or TERRITORIES) in a set of selected critical areas and disseminate the experiences across the planet to achieve an even large impact.

A SUSTAINABLE LANDSCAPE is a geographical space in which ECOLOGICAL INTEGRITY (a combination of near-natural levels of productivity, ecosystem services, biodiversity, water, and soil characteristics) and BASIC HUMAN NEEDS (adequate food, water, health, housing, energy and cultural cohesion) are concurrently maintained over generations.

Planning landscapes for sustainable development

What is Sustainable Development?

DEVELOPMENT (and the meeting of needs and aspirations) to take place through the services provided by economic, human, social and environmental assets.

Development is considered to be SUSTAINABLE if and only if the stock of ALL assets or capitals (wealth) per capita remains constant or rises over time.

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT is defined as the provision of services and benefits that increase human well-being without causing a decline in capital stocks per capita.

Four critical capitalsTechnical Capital (or manufactured or human-made) is composed of produced assets that are used to produce other goods and services. Some examples are machines, tools, buildings and infrastructure.

Natural Capital includes all ecosystems, their products and ecological services. Natural capital can be considered as the components of nature that can be linked directly or indirectly with human welfare. Human Capital refers to the health, well-being, and productive potential of individual people. Types of human capital include mental and physical health, education, motivation and work skills.

Social Capital, like human capital, is related to human well-being, but on a societal rather than individual level. It consists of the social networks that support an efficient, cohesive society, and facilitate social and intellectual interactions among its members. Examples of social capital include civil society organizations. The political and legal structures which promote political stability, democracy, government efficiency, and social justice (all of which are good for productivity as well as being desirable in themselves) are also part of social capital.

The Rubber Band Model (Giraud & Loyer)

K Natural

K Social

K Human

K Technical

Critical

Threshold

Reduction of K natural

K Technical

K Humain

K Social

The Rubber Band Model (Giraud & Loyer)

Critical

Threshold

Reduction of K natural

K Technical

K Humain

K Social

The Rubber Band Model (Giraud & Loyer)

Critical

Threshold

Reduction of K natural

K Technical

K Humain

K Social

The Rubber Band Model (Giraud & Loyer)

Critical

Threshold

Reduction of K natural

K Technical

K Humain

K Social

The Rubber Band Model (Giraud & Loyer)

Critical

Threshold

Reduction of K natural

K Technical

K Humain

K Social

The Rubber Band Model (Giraud & Loyer)

Critical

Threshold

Reduction of K natural

K Technical

K Humain

K Social

The Rubber Band Model (Giraud & Loyer)

Critical

Threshold

Reduction of K natural

K Technical

K Humain

K Social

The Rubber Band Model (Giraud & Loyer)

There are several frameworks and tools available to plan and

implement sustainable landscapes

Framework for Sustainable Landscape Planning

Ahern (2004)

Different development models: wilderness-like region

0

20

40

60

80

100

Technical

Natural

Human

Social

Current

Bussines-as-usual

Innovative

Possible scenarios of developmentof a wilderness-like geographic region

Different models: hotspot-like region

Possible scenarios of developmentof a hotspot (Madagascar)-like

geographic region

0

20

40

60

80

Technical

Natural

Human

Social

Current

Bussines-as-usual

Innovative

Implementation of sustainable landscapes

requires strong local learning organizations and

a clear estimate of the implementation costs

Lack of local (municipality-level) institutions is the major gap for the sustainable development of

Amazonia

In 2002, Brazilian Amazonia had 449 municipalities

• Only 129 had local environmental legislation

• Only 46 had a specific environmental agency

• Only 23 had active environmental local councils

Source: IBGE (2002)

A new Amazonia needs a business plan

• How much does it cost?• Build a network of sustainable logistics• Maintain an effective conservation system• Improve human well-being indicators• Build strong institutions• Improve practices of current economic activities• Develop new compatible economic activities

• Do we have enough resources to change the fate of the Brazilian Amazonia?

• Current GDP of Brazil: R$ 2.3 trillions• Current GDP of Amazonia: R$ 145 billions

Suggestions

NGOS and research community should establish long-term partnerships (alliances) to build sustainable landscapes in some critical areas in Amazonia.

Municipalities or set of municipalities (composing watersheds) should be the major clients for these alliances.

Capacity-building programs focused on management of natural resources for decision-makers at municipality-level should be a high priority for all institutions (INPA´s model).

Research on valuation of natural capital, development models and costs, and governance are the most critical elements of a new research agenda for Amazonia.