Guide will help States to regularize Forest Code

The purpose of this guide is to contribute to the state agencies and the Federal District in regulation, reflecting the synthesis of the important elements for the implementation of the law

By: Forest Panel – Rio BV

If fully implemented, the Forest Code has the potential to save more than 150 million hectares of native vegetation in Brazil, kidnapping about 100 billion tons of CO2. However, there are still regulations in 14 states, and of the 13 that regulated one had suspended the court rules and is under review. In addition, some regulations are not complete, hindering the fulfillment of the law.

In this context, the BVRio Institute and Observatory of the Forest Code created a Guide for the Preparation of Environmental Regularization Program states. The purpose of this guide is to contribute to the state agencies and the Federal District in regulation, reflecting the synthesis of the important elements for the implementation of the New Forest Code is to give legal certainty and adds sustainability to the Brazilian countryside.

The implementation of the law will result in a significant improvement in governance related to land use and substantial contributions to biodiversity conservation and carbon storage on a regional scale, putting the Brazilian agricultural production sector at the forefront of global sustainability and enabling reach of Brazilian climate targets presented at the United Nations climate Change Conference (COP 21).

“For this to occur, the regulation and implementation of the Environmental Recovery Program (PRAs) by the states and the Federal District is required, with the definition of rules on the fulfillment of obligations and law-related incentives to meet the local conditions,” says Roberta del Giudice, the environmental lawyer iBVRio.

To enable the implementation of this aspect of Law, the Federal Government has regulated the PRA, as it was up to him, and many states have regulated their versions of this obligation (to March 2016, the PRA was regulated by 13 states). It is necessary to more quickly by states and consistency of its regulations in relation to the text of the Forest Act to ensure that the implementation of the law occur harmoniously throughout the national territory.

About BVRio

The BVRio Institute ( www.bvrio.org ) is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to promote market mechanisms that facilitate compliance with Brazilian environmental laws, and the Environmental Stock Exchange BVRio ( www.bvrio.com ), a company of impact that aims to leverage private sector capital to implement and scale to the activities developed by the Institute BVRio. The organization won the Katerva Awards 2013 named Leader in Climate Action by the R20 – Regions of Climate Action, and integrates the Forest Legality Alliance.