Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06BRASILIA2449
2006-11-21 15:04:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Brasilia
Cable title:  

BRAZILIAN NGOS CALL GOB FOR TFCA TALK

Tags:  SENV EFIN EAID TBIO ECON SOCI XR BR 
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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BRASILIA 002449 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT PASS USAID TO LAC/RSD, LAC/SAM, G/ENV, PPC/ENV
TREASURY FOR OASIA (NLEE, JHOEK) AND KBERG
USDA FOR FOREST SERVICE: LIZ MAHEW
INTERIOR FOR DIR INT AFFAIRS: K WASHBURN
INTERIOR FOR FWS: TOM RILEY
INTERIOR PASS USGS FOR INTERNATIONAL: J WEAVER
JUSTICE FOR ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES: JWEBB
EPA FOR INTERNATIONAL: CAM HILL-MACON
USDA FOR ARS/INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH: G FLANLEY
NSF FOR INTERNATIONAL: HAROLD STOLBERG

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SENV EFIN EAID TBIO ECON SOCI XR BR
SUBJECT: BRAZILIAN NGOS CALL GOB FOR TFCA TALK

-------
SUMMARY
-------

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BRASILIA 002449

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT PASS USAID TO LAC/RSD, LAC/SAM, G/ENV, PPC/ENV
TREASURY FOR OASIA (NLEE, JHOEK) AND KBERG
USDA FOR FOREST SERVICE: LIZ MAHEW
INTERIOR FOR DIR INT AFFAIRS: K WASHBURN
INTERIOR FOR FWS: TOM RILEY
INTERIOR PASS USGS FOR INTERNATIONAL: J WEAVER
JUSTICE FOR ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES: JWEBB
EPA FOR INTERNATIONAL: CAM HILL-MACON
USDA FOR ARS/INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH: G FLANLEY
NSF FOR INTERNATIONAL: HAROLD STOLBERG

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: SENV EFIN EAID TBIO ECON SOCI XR BR
SUBJECT: BRAZILIAN NGOS CALL GOB FOR TFCA TALK

--------------
SUMMARY
--------------


1. A group of Brazilian NGOs invited the Ministry of the Environment
and the Brazilian Treasury for a discussion about including Brazil
in the debt conversion/reduction process under the TFCA (Tropical
Forest Conservation Act). To date, no formal agreement has been
made with the USG under the TFCA. This meeting was intended to spur
the process. End Summary.

--------------
DISCUSSION
--------------


2. NGOs Instituto Socioambiental, The Nature Conservancy - Brazil,
and RMA (Network of Atlantic Rainforest NGOs) called representatives
from the Brazilian Treasury and the Ministry of the Environment for
a meeting on November 13 in Brasilia. The objectives were: (1) to
create a baseline of knowledge among all actors as to the concept
and processes of debt conversion/reduction under the Tropical Forest
Conservation Act (TFCA); (2) to recognize the representatives of the
groups involved (Treasury, Ministry of the Environment, and NGOs);
(3) to set an agenda for actions taken by each group.


3. The meeting brought together four representatives from the
Brazilian Treasury, one representative from the Ministry of the
Environment, and representatives from three other NGOs (ISPN,
FUNATURA, and INESC).


4. The Ministry of the Environment stated that a formal letter was
sent a few months ago to the Brazilian Treasury, which demonstrated
its interest in debt conversion/reduction, but no reply had been
received to date. Representatives of the Treasury opined that the
process must have been stalled by recent changes in staffing. Both
sides agreed it will be important to set a meeting together to
deepen the discussion and define the role each Ministry would play.

--------------
NEXT STEPS
--------------


5. The Brazilian Treasury pointed to the importance of compiling a
matrix of all past discussions on the subject in order to form a
concrete decision within the Brazilian government before approaching
the USG. (Comment: This lack of coordination lends to the
impression that there has been little movement on this issue by the
GOB since the TFCA proposal was first presented to them. End
Comment. While hopeful that the GOB will soon conduct meetings to
resolve the point of where this issue stands, the event organizers
(NGOs) plan to contact a broader network of organizations in order
to eventually create a formal proposal.)

--------------
BRAZILIAN STATE OF ACRE TAKES THE LEAD
--------------

BRASILIA 00002449 002 OF 002




6. Although the Brazilian Federal Government does not yet have a
formal agreement under the TFCA, the State of Acre - which has 90
percent of its territory covered by Amazon forest - has prepared a
draft law which attempts to institutionalize the concept of
Compensation for Environmental Services. (Note: please contact
Larissa Stoner to obtain a copy of this draft law. End Note.) The
bill is currently under discussion and will be sent for vote in
Acre's Legislative Assembly in December. According to one press
report, the government in Acre also intends to create an
institutional environment which would allow 'debt for nature swap'
processes within the state.

--------------
COMMENT
--------------


7. This meeting was in a sense a 'wake-up call' for those involved
that action must be taken before the idea is forever lost in the
Brazilian bureaucracy. While many doubts about the process itself
will need to be clarified, it seems that the GOB and civil society
are taking a positive step forward in at least starting the
dialogue. Given Brazil's recent interest in creating a post-Kyoto
mechanism for paying developing countries to slow and/or stop
deforestation as part of their contribution for combating global
climate change, the inability of the GOB to finalize an agreement
under the TFCA is puzzling. End Comment.

CHICOLA