Read the statement by Minister Izabella Teixeira in the COP20 plenary in Lima  
The Minister of Environment of Brazil, Izabella Teixeira, advocated, on Wednesday (10/12), the concentric differentiation approach to define responsibility in cutting greenhouse gas emissions to the international community. In her statement at the plenary of COP 20 in Lima, Izabella reiterated the importance of specific targets for developed and developing countries and underscored the Brazilian results in reducing deforestation in the Amazon rainforest.

By: Lucas Tolentino - Editing: Vincente Tardin
Brazil will invest in cooperation with the other Amazon rainforest nations with a view to stem the greenhouse effect advancement. This position was voiced by the Brazilian Minister of Environment, Izabella Teixeira, on Wednesday (10/12), at the side event held by Brazil at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change COP20 in Lima, Peru's capital. Held in partnership with the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization (ACTO), the event “Monitoring of the Amazon Rainforest: a regional endeavor based on the Brazilian experience” had representatives from other federal agencies and from countries such as Bolivia, Ecuador and Suriname. According to Minister Izabella, the intention is to share the initiatives in place in Brazil, like the IT System supporting the Rural Environmental Cadastre (CAR), which is aimed at promoting compliance with the Forest Law in rural properties. She stated that "As it becomes more robust, the CAR will be available to the ACTO countries".
  The Challenge
 
The cooperation already promotes a number of initiatives in the ACTO nations, namely Brazil, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, Suriname and Venezuela. "The institutional actions shared with the Amazon countries are ongoing, to ensure that the policies in place promote structural progress" said the Minister. "The challenge now is improve these actions and to advance the climate agenda." However, the particularities of each region have to be taken into account. "The Andean countries are engaged with the others in the issues regarding the Amazon," noted the Peruvian Deputy Minister of Environment, Gabriel Quijandría. "But, in each country, you find different situations regarding the economy, social development and even the characteristics of the forest." he pondered. The ACTO Secretary-General, Ambassador Robby Dewnarain Ramlakhan, highlighted the positive effects of the Organization's collaborative work "It is a typical South-South Cooperation example that benefits not only the environment but also the Amazon rainforest peoples, the governments and future generations".
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In October 2013, the Brazilian government signed an agreement with ACTO to share Brazilian technologies to fight deforestation. The partnership includes 23 million Brazilian Reais in investments, with resources from the Amazon Fund managed by the Brazilian National Development Bank (BNDES). Among the activities planned are the implementation of satellite monitoring systems, the establishment of observation and research facilities and trainings on forest cover monitoring.

Por Lucas Tolentino, edição de Vicente Tardin / ASCOM-MMA
O Brasil investirá na cooperação com as demais nações que compõem a Floresta Amazônica para conter os avanços do efeito estufa. O posicionamento foi defendido pela ministra do Meio Ambiente, Izabella Teixeira, nesta quarta-feira (10/12), em evento paralelo realizado pelo Brasil na COP 20, em Lima. Em parceria com a Organização do Tratado de Cooperação Amazônica (OTCA), o debate Monitoramento da Floresta Amazônica: um trabalho regional baseado na experiência brasileira contou, ainda, com a participação de representantes de outros órgãos do governo federal e de países como Bolívia, Equador e Suriname. De acordo com a ministra Izabella, a intenção é compartilhar medidas como o Sistema Eletrônico do Cadastro Ambiental Rural (CAR), usado, no Brasil, para regularizar imóveis rurais conforme a nova Lei Florestal. “À medida em que for ganhando robustez, o CAR será distribuído para os países da OTCA”, declarou. DESAFIO A cooperação já permite uma série de medidas nas nações da OTCA, formada por Brasil, Bolívia, Colômbia, Equador, Guiana, Peru, Suriname e Venezuela. “Há uma ação institucional constante compartilhada com os países da Amazônia para assegurar caminhos estruturantes para as políticas em curso”, destacou a ministra. “O desafio, agora, é aprimorar as ações e avançar na agenda de clima.” As particularidades de cada região, no entanto, têm de ser consideradas. “Os países andinos estão entrelaçados com os demais na questão da Amazônia”, observou o vice-ministro do Meio Ambiente do Peru, Gabriel Quijandria. “Mas, em cada nação, existem situações diferentes em pontos como a economia, o desenvolvimento social e até mesmo as características da Floresta”, ponderou. O secretário-geral da OTCA, embaixador Robby Dewnarain Ramlakhan, ressaltou os efeitos positivos do trabalho conjunto da Organização. “É um exemplo típico da Cooperação Sul-Sul que traz benefícios não só para o meio ambiente, mas também para as populações da Floresta Amazônica, para os governos e para as futuras gerações”, avaliou. SAIBA MAIS Em outubro de 2013, o governo federal firmou acordo com a OTCA para compartilhar as técnicas brasileiras de combate ao desmatamento. A parceria soma o investimento de R$ 23 milhões, vindos do Fundo Amazônia e operados pelo Banco Nacional de Desenvolvimento (BNDES). Entre as ações previstas estão a implantação de sistemas de monitoramento por satélite, a instalação de salas de observação e pesquisa e a realização de treinamentos para acompanhamento das imagens da cobertura florestal.

The government of Brazil hosts its side event at COP 20 in Lima today, a quarter past one P.M. at local time. It will bring together high officials from ACTO countries, highlight the results of cooperative efforts currently undertaken by the countries as well as showcase Brazil´s submission of its Forest Reference Emission Levels (FREL) for results based payments in the Amazonian biome. Monitoring the Amazon forest: a regional undertaking built on the Brazilian experience. Date: December 10th, 2014, Wednesday Time: 13:15—14:45 Location: Room Maranga More details: ACTO countries are developing a regional deforestation map to help formulate their respective national forest monitoring systems based on the Brazilian experience in the use of remotely sensed data. Brazils FREL offers a consistent time series for accurate approach for measuring REDD+ results.  Speakers: Dr. Izabella Teixeira, Minister of Environment of Brazil; Mr. Manuel Pulgar-Vidal, Minister of Environment of Peru and COP20 President; Ministers of Environment of ACTO Member Countries; Mr. Robby Ramlakhan, Secretary General of ACTO, Dr. Carlos Klink Secretary of Climate Change of the Ministry of Environment, Brazil; representatives of the National Institute for Space Research (INPE, Brazil) and the Brazilian Development Bank (BNDES).

Brazil welcomed the submission of forest reference emission levels (FREL) by Colombia, Indonesia, Malaysia and Mexico, which took place yesterday in COP20. Brazil was the first country to submit its FREL in June, 2014. This Monday was “REDD+ Day” in COP20. “We are very happy to see other countries also engaging in implementing the Warsaw Framework for REDD+ by submitting their reference levels for REDD+ payments”. This was the opening statement by Adriano Santhiago de Oliveira, Director of the Climate Change Department of the Ministry of Environment of Brazil, in the “REDD+ Day” event. REDD+ Day   The REDD+ Day in COP20 was an opportunity to discuss the situation of forests and their relation to climate change and raise the population’s awareness of this topic. More specifically, this day provided the opportunity to discuss REDD+ in Latin American countries. Read the full statement by Adriano Santhiago de Oliveira, Director of the Climate Change Department of the Ministry of Environment of Brazil in the “REDD+ Day” Thank you for the opportunity and for inviting Brazil to be part of this important event. We are very happy to see other countries also engaging in implementing the Warsaw Framework for REDD+ by submitting their reference levels for REDD+ payments. After 8 years of intense negotiations develolping countries are finally able to focus on the important task of contributing to mitigating climate change through their forest sector, with the financial and technical support that is so important to help them achieve these results. Brazil has actively engaged in the negotiation of this framework and is now eager to focus on its implementation. Over the past 10 years, reducing deforestation and promoting sustainable local development in the Amazon biome has been a top priority for the Brazilian government. As a result of the national policies and initiatives implemented at the biome level, the last four years have registered the lowest deforestation rates since INPE started systematically monitoring the Amazon biome in 1988. The recognition by the international community of these results is now made possible through the Warsaw Framework for REDD+ under the UNFCCC. Brazil has taken the first step towards the implementation of the Warsaw Framework for REDD+ in June of this year in Bonn, with the submission of the forest reference emission level for reducing deforestation in the Amazon biome. Since then, Brazil's forest reference emission level went through a rigorous assessment by experts appointed by the UNFCCC and we are happy to inform that the technical assessment has been concluded in the end of last month. This has been a facilitative process through which we were able to improve the clarity of our submission and identify a way forward for the future. We now have the assessed forest reference emission level for deforestation in the Amazon biome and will soon submit the Technical Annex with REDD+ results for verification under the UNFCCC and subsequent payments for performance. Brazils summary of information on safeguards is also undergoing public consultation and will soon be translated for submitting to the UNFCCC. We are investing considerable resources to create a safeguards information system with the engagement of our stakeholders at the national level. It is very interesting to see the diversity of approaches chosen by each country submitting reference levels for REDD+ payments today, according to their national circumstances. We are eager to continue engaging with countries implementing REDD+ through south-south cooperation. We are also happy to see that the Green Climate Fund is advancing with the approval of the logic model for financing REDD+ and with the pledges made so far for making this fund operational. We hope that the Green Climate Fund will very soon be able to fulfill its key role in financing REDD+. Congratulations to all countries that have made their submissions, and we hope to see even more countries submitting their REDD+ information and more countries and financial institutions making payments. Congratulations to the Peruvian presidency for hosting this event and for lauching the Lima Information Hub for increasing the transparency of the information submitted by REDD+ countries. It is now finally the time to implement REDD+!

The implementation of the Warsaw Framework for REDD+ by Brazil

Fact Sheet Brazil at COP21

Brazil’s Forest Reference Emission Level (FREL) for the Amazon has received favorable assessment from the UNFCCC experts. The assessment report was released today during the COP 20 in Lima, it points out that "the data and information used by Brazil in constructing its FREL are transparent and complete, and are in overall accordance with the guidelines contained in the annex to decision 12/CP.17". The Brazilian Reference Level submission for the Amazon, made in June 2014, marked the beginning of the implementation of the Warsaw Framework for REDD + (decisions 9-15 / CP.19), one of the major outcomes of COP 19 in 2013. The Report also notes that "Brazil included in the FREL the most significant activity, the most important biome and the most significant pools in terms of emissions from forests". According to the experts, 
“the assessment process was an opportunity for a rich, open, facilitative and constructive technical exchange of information with Brazil”. The technical assessment process provided greater clarity and transparency to the submission and identified areas that deserved greater technical depth, among them the digitalization of deforestation maps for 1996 and 1997 and the inclusion of new carbon pools.

  What are Reference Levels The submission of the Reference Level is a component required by the UNFCCC for REDD + results recognition purposes. The reference level defines the reference period and the scale the REDD + activities are measured against on a historical or projected perspective. Its function is to allow assessment of the 

With information from ASCOM/MMA and INPE
Deforestation in the Legal Amazon was 18% lower in the period 2013-2014 compared to 2012-2013, according to preliminary data from Brazil’s National Institute for Spatial Research (INPE). Since 2004, when the Action Plan for Prevention and Control of Deforestation in the Amazon (PPCDAM) was launched, deforestation in the region was reduced by 82.5%. "Brazil is able to reaffirm its climate policy in the international community", said the Minister of the Environment, Izabella Teixeira. INPE registered 4,848 km² of deforestation, the second lowest rate in history. The Institute will present consolidated data for 2014 in the following months, which may vary 10% above or below the estimated value. According to Minister Izabella, the drop is due to factors such as the work of inspection teams and the task force for the environmental regulation of Brazilian rural properties. "The figures may also indicate that many people who used to bet on illegality now prefer to regularize their properties under the Rural Environmental Registry," analyzed Izabella. The PRODES monitoring system registers clearcutting data in the Legal Amazon. Its monitoring period runs from August 1 of a given year to July 31 of the following year. PRODES uses Landsat satellite images and computes as deforestation areas larger than 6.25 hectares where there was complete removal of forest cover.
Source: INPE/PRODES
*Preliminary data