Reduction of carbon emissions associated with deforestation in Brazil: the role of the Amazon Region Protected Areas Program (ARPA) (original) (raw)

2008, World Wide Fund for …

Abstract

The creation of protected areas in the Brazilian Amazon has been playing an important role in biological diversity conservation in the region and in the protection of extensive tropical forest areas. Approximately 50% of the remaining Amazon forests are protected areas. In light of this scenario, the most ambitious biodiversity conservation program is currently the Amazon Region Protected Areas Program (ARPA), which was created by the Brazilian Government in 2003. The program is related to the National Protected Area System (Sistema Nacional de Unidades de Conservação-SNUC) as part of a strategy for its implementation. Furthermore, it is an important mechanism for the implementation of various strategies and decisions of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD, 1992), especially the Programme of Work on Protected Areas (CBD Decision VII/28; CDB, 2004 1) and the corresponding Brazilian National Strategic Plan on Protected Areas 2. Over a 10-year period (2003-2013), the ARPA intends to protect 500 thousand km 2 of natural ecosystems, mainly forests. Despite its clear benefits to the conservation of biological diversity and protection of great forest carbon stocks, little is known about its role in the reduction of greenhouse gas-especially carbon dioxide (CO 2) resulting from Amazon deforestation. It is exactly this assessment of ARPA Program's contribution to the reduction of such emissions that is this study's central objective. By using analyses of historical deforestation rates between 1997 to 2007, and of estimated future rates obtained from modeling deforestation scenarios for 2050, it was possible to determine wthat, in general, the latu sensu protected areas3 in the Amazon not only work as great obstacles to the advancement of deforestation, but also yield the regional inhibition effect that consequently significantly contributes to the reduction of associated emissions of greenhouse gas. The results especially indicate that the 61 protected areas supported by ARPA are preserving a forest carbon stock of about 4.6 billion tons of carbon (18% of the total stock protected in the Amazon), which is almost twice the efforts for emissions reduction of the first commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol's if fully implemented. By using simulations of future deforestations, the protected areas (including those supported by the ARPA) created by the federal government between 2003 and 2008 will, until 2050, yield reduction of emissions resulting from deforestation by about 7±1 billion tons of carbon. From this expected reduction, 25% can be attributed to protected area created after ARPA Program was started and through its support (13 protected areas 4). Notwithstanding, if the expansion of ARPA Program's protected area, which is expected to occur in 2008 5 , actually takes place, an additional reduction of 1.1±0.2 billion tons of carbon can be expected by 2050. The recent and future contribution of protected areas in the Amazon and of the ARPA Program is therefore crucial for the reduction of deforestation patterns in the Amazon and of its associated carbon emissions and for the planet's biodiversity conservation. Such efforts shall be internationally acknowledged and valued, especially within the context of international negotiations in the scope of the Convention on Biological Diversity and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. 7.33 billion CO 2 global emissions on the year 2000, which is approximately 9 billion tons of carbon. Climate Analysis Indicators Tool, WRI 2008.

Loading...

Loading Preview

Sorry, preview is currently unavailable. You can download the paper by clicking the button above.

References (45)

  1. Alencar, A.; Nepstad, N; McGrath, D; Moutinho, P; Pacheco, P; Diaz, M. D. C. V; Soares- Filho, B. Desmatamento na Amazônia: indo além da emergência crônica.
  2. Manaus, IPAM, 2004.
  3. Brasil. Plano Estratégico Nacional de Áreas Protegidas. Presidência da República e Ministério do Meio Ambiente. 2006. (Decree 5,758, of April 13, 2006.) 2006. (Decree 5,758, of April 13, 2006.)
  4. Bonham-Carter, G. Geographic information systems for geoscientists: modelling with GIS. New York, New York, Pergamon, 1994.
  5. Bruner, A.; Gullison, R.; Rice, R.; Fonseca, G. Effectiveness of parks in protecting tropical biodiversity. Science, 291:125-28, 2001.
  6. Bruner, A.; Naughton-Treves, L.; Gullison, T.; Treves, A.; Alvarez, N.; Brandon, K. Manejo de Ocho Areas Protegidas de Peru: Uso de la tierra, zonificacion y costos de manejo. Report submitted to the Government of Peru. Conservation International, Washington, 2004.
  7. CAIT-WRI (Climate Analysis Indicator Tool , World Resources Institute) http://cait.wri. org/. Accessed on April, 2008.
  8. CBD. Convention on Biological Diversity. 1992. CBD. Programme of Work on Protected Areas (Decision VII/28). Convention on Biological Diversity. 2004.
  9. CBD WGPA. Review of implementation of the programme of work on protected areas for the period 2004-200. Rome CBD Secretariat, 2008, 16 p. (Convention on Biological Diversity, Ad Hoc Open-ended Working Group On Protected Areas, Second meeting, FAO, Rome, 11-15 February 2007.)
  10. Cronon, W. 1995. The trouble with wilderness; or getting back to the wrong nature. In In Uncommon Ground, ed. W Cronon, p. 69-90, New York, 1995.
  11. Ferreira, L. V.; Venticinque, E.; Almeida, S. O desmatamento na Amazônia e a importância das áreas protegidas. Estudos Avan�ados, Estudos Avan�ados, 19:1-10, 2005.
  12. Ghimire K. 1994. Parks and people: livelihood issues in national parks management in Thailand and Madagascar. Dev. Change, 25:195-229, 1994.
  13. Hirsch, A. I.; Little, W. S.; Houghton, R. A.; Scott, N. A.; White, J. D. The net carbon flux due to deforestation and forest re-growth in the Brazilian Amazon: analysis using a process-based model. Global Change Biology, 10: 908-924, 2004.
  14. Houghton, R. A.; Skole, D. L.; Nobre, C. A.; Hackler, J. L.; Lawrence, K. T., and Chomentowski, W. H. Annual fluxes of carbon from deforestation and regrowth in the Brazilian Amazon. Nature, 403: 301-304, 2000.
  15. R. A. Houghton, Tropical deforestation as a source of greenhouse gas emissions. In: Moutinho, P. & Schwartzman, S. (Ed.)Tropical Deforestation and Climate Change. Woods Hole: The Woods Hole Research Center, 2005. Woods Hole: The Woods Hole Research Center, 2005.
  16. IBGE (Instituto Brasileiro de geografia e estatística) -Mapa de bioma em escala 1:5.000.000, 2004. ftp://geoftp.ibge.gov.br/mapas/tematicos/mapas\_murais/ biomas.pdf. Access in April 2008.
  17. INPE (Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais). Monitoramento da floresta amazônica brasileira por satélite: projeto Prodes. http://www.obt.inpe.br/prodes/. Access in March 2008.
  18. IPCC -Quarto Relatório, Grupo de Trabalho II -capítulo 13: América Latina. p.581-615. 2007.
  19. Malhi, Y. J.; Roberts, T.; Betts, R. A.; Killeen, T. J.; Li, W.; Nobre, C. A. Climate Change, Deforestation, and the Fate of the Amazon. Science, 319: 169-172, 2008.
  20. Margulis, S. Causas do desmatamento da Amazônia brasileira. 1ª ed. Brasília: Banco Mundial, 2003.
  21. Maretti, C.C. 2005. Conservação e valores; relações entre áreas protegidas e indígenas: possíveis conflitos e soluções. In: Ricardo, F. (org.). 2004 (nov.). Terras indígenas & unidades de conserva�ão da natureza: o desafio das sobreposi�ões. São Paulo, Instituto Socioambiental, p. 85-101.
  22. Maretti, C.C. et al. From pre-assumptions to a 'just world conserving nature:' the role of category VI in protecting landscapes. In: Brown, J. et al. (eds.) The protected landscape approach: linking nature, culture and community. Gland: IUCN and others, p. 47-64. 2005.
  23. Maretti, C.C.; Sanches, R.A. et al. 2003. Protected areas and indigenous and local communities in Brazil; lessons learned in the establishment and management of protected areas by indigenous and local communities. Durban: IUCN, V Durban: IUCN, V World Parks Congress. 72 p.
  24. Merry, F.; Soares-Filho, B.; Nepstad, D.; Amacher, G.; Rodrigues, H. A Sustainable Future for the Amazon Timber Industry. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, EUA (in print).
  25. Merry, F.; Soares-Filho, B.; Bowman, M B.; Nepstad, D.; Rodrigues, H. The Amazon Cattle Industry. (In preparation). (In preparation).
  26. MMA (Ministério do Meio Ambiente), Plano Operativo Anual (POA) 2008 do Programa ARPA. Brasília, novembro de 2007. Brasília, novembro de 2007.
  27. Morton, D. C.; DeFries, R. S.; Shimabukuro, Y. E.; Anderson, L. O.; Arai, E.; Espirito-Santo, F. B.; Freitas, R.; Morisette, J. Cropland expansion changes deforestation dynamics in the southern Brazilian Amazon. Sustainable Science. 2006.
  28. Naughton-Treves, L.; Holland, M. B.; Brandon, K. The Role of protected areas in conserving biodiversity and sustaining local livelihoods. Annu. Rev. Environ. Resour. 30:219-52. 2005.
  29. Nepstad, D.; Verissimo, A.; Alencar, A.; Nobre, C.; Lima, E.; Lefebrve, P.; Schlesinger. P.; P.; Potter, C.; Moutinho, P.; Mendoza, E.; Cochrane, M.; Brooks, V. Large-scale impoverishment of Amazonian forests by logging and fire. Nature 398: 505 -508, 1999.
  30. Nepstad, D.; Schwartzman, S.; Bamberger, B.; Santilli, M.; Ray, D.; Schlesinger, P.; Lefebvre, P.; Alencar, A.; Prinz, E.; Fiske, G.; Rolla, A. Inhibition of Amazon deforestation and fire by parks and indigenous reserves. Conservation. Biology 20: 65-73, 2006.
  31. Nepstad, D.; Tohver, IM.; Ray, D.; Moutinho, P.; Cardinot, G. Mortality of large trees and lianas following experimental drought in an Amazon forest. Ecology, 88, 2259- 2269, 2007.
  32. Nepstad, D. The Amazon's vicious cycles. Gland: WWF International, 2007. 23 p. Nepstad, D.; Soares-Filho, B. S.; Merry, F.; Moutinho, P.; Rodrigues, H. O.; Bowman, M.; Schwartzman, S.; Almeida, O.; Rivero, S. The Costs and Benefits of Reducing Carbon Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation in the Brazilian Amazon. Report launched in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), Conference of the Parties (COP), Thirteenth session. Bali, Indonesia. December, 2007.
  33. Nepstad, D.; Stickler, C.; Soares-Filho, B. S.; Merry, F. Interactions among Amazon land use, forests, and climate: prospects for a near-term forest tipping point. Philosophical Transactions of The Royal Society doi:10.1098/rstb.2007.0036, 1- 10, 2008.
  34. Nobre, C. A.; Sellers, P. J.; Shukla, J. Amazonian deforestation and regional climate change. J. Climate 4, 957-988. 1991.
  35. Nobre, C. A.; Gash, J. H. C.; Roberts, J. M.; Victoria, R. L. 1996. Conclusions from Abracos. Conclusions from Abracos.
  36. In Gash, J.H.C., Nobre, C.A., Roberts, J.R. e Victoria, R.L. (eds.) Amazonian Deforestation and Climate. John Wiley and Sons, Chichester, UK 1996.
  37. Peres, C. A. Why We Need Megareserves in Amazonia. Conservation Biology, p.728- 733 V.19, No. 3, 2005.
  38. Saatchi, S. S.; Houghton, R. A.; Dos Santos Alvala´, R. C.; Soares, Z. J. V.; Yu, Y. Distribution of aboveground live biomass in the Amazon basin. Global Change Biology 13, 816-837. 2007.
  39. Sampaio, G.; Nobre, C.; Costa, M. H.; Satyamurty, P.; Soares-Filho, B. S.; Cardoso, M. Regional climate change over eastern Amazonia caused by pasture and soybean cropland expansion. Geophysical Research Letters, Londres, v. 34, n. doi:10.102, p. 1-7. 2007.
  40. Sanchez-Azofeifa, A.; Daily, G.C.; Pfaff, A.S.P.; Busch, C. Integrity and isolation of Costa Rica's national parks and biological reserves: examining the dynamics of land- cover change. Biol. Conserv. 109:123-35. 2003.
  41. Schwartzman, S.; Zimmerman, B. Conservation Alliances with Indigenous People of the Amazon. Conservation Biology, p.721-727, v. 19, No. 3, 2005.
  42. Soares-Filho, B. S.; Nepstad, D. C.; Curran, L. M.; Cerqueira, G. C.; Garcia, R. A.; Ramos, C. A.; Voll, E.; Mcdonald, A.; Lefebvre, P.; Schlesinger, P. Modelagem da Conservação na Bacia Amazônica. Nature, 2006.
  43. Soares-Filho, B. S.; Garcia, R. A.; Rodrigues, H. O.; Moro, S.; Nepstad, D. Nexos entre as dimensões socioeconômicas e o desmatamento: A caminho de um modelo integrado. In: Batistella, M; Moran, E. Alves, D. (ed.). Amazônia e Sociedade. (no prelo). (no prelo).
  44. Vandermeer, J.; Perfecto I. Breakfast of Biodiversity. Oakland, CA: Inst. Food Dev. Policy. 1995.
  45. Vera-Diaz, M.; Kaufmann, R.; Nepstad, D.; Schlesinger, P. An interdisciplinary model of soybean yield in the Amazon Basin: the climatic, edaphic, and economic determinants. Ecological Economics 3, p.420-431 2008.