As part of the programming of the 93rd National Meeting of General Chiefs of Justice of Brazil, the 5th National Land Forum of the General Chiefs of Justice, which takes place in the city of Palmas this Friday (April 26th), brings together experts and representatives from several sectors to discuss land governance and the carbon market in Brazil, especially in regions with potential, but with critical environmental and land issues such as the Legal Amazon; agricultural frontiers such as Matopiba; and other regions of the country. The Forum opened with a lecture entitled "Land Governance, Carbon Market: Challenges and Potential", moderated by Richard Torsiano, an international consultant in Governance for the World Bank/FAO/UN; Almir Teubl Sanches, a former Federal Prosecutor; and Aleandro Lacerda Gonçalves, CEO of the Real Estate Company of Participations, Investments and Partnerships - Tocantins Partnerships.
In his speech, the moderator of the event, Dr. Richard Torsiano, pointed out that land conflicts are a catalyst for improving the land situation in the country. He emphasized the importance of demystifying the carbon market and its regulation in Brazil, highlighting the relevance of this market for the country, especially for the most vulnerable regions; stressed the importance of dialogue between the different sectors of society to build effective solutions to the challenges of land governance and the carbon market; and recalled the need to consider the different regional realities and the interests of local communities in public policies related to land and the environment.
Lecturer Almir Teubl Sanches, a former Federal Prosecutor, emphasized the importance of extractivist and quilombola communities taking advantage of the potential of Brazil in the carbon market. He recalled the importance of extractive and quilombola communities in the search for solutions to environmental challenges, especially in the face of climate change and global warming. According to him, these communities are the ones that most need to take advantage of the potential that Brazil has, but they are also the ones that suffer most unfairly from the consequences of these phenomena. Sanches also pointed out that around fifty percent of the greenhouse gas emissions of Brazil are due to changes in land use, mainly deforestation. He emphasized the need for legal certainty and governance to unlock the potential of this market, citing projects such as REDD+ and green livestock farming as opportunities to reduce emissions. During his talk, Almir Teubl Sanches highlighted the importance of land governance to ensure legal certainty and sustainable development in the country. He stressed the need to improve mechanisms for regularizing land ownership and combating illegal deforestation, as well as encouraging environmental preservation.
Tocantins
Debater Aleandro Lacerda Gonçalves, CEO of the Tocantins Partnerships, highlighted the creation of a mixed-capital company, Tocantins Carbon, which operates REDD+ program resources. He stressed the importance of integrity and participation in ownership for the success of the program, emphasizing the need for a good reputation and robust infrastructure, as well as oversight and additionality. Lacerda addressed the potential of the carbon market as an opportunity for rural landowners to generate income through environmental conservation. He emphasized the importance of public policies that encourage the adoption of sustainable practices in the countryside and of partnerships between the public and private sectors to make environmental projects viable.
Judiciary
The Chief Judge of the Court of Justice of the State of Tocantins, Justice Maysa Vendramini, recalled the importance and need to discuss the issue in the Judiciary in the State of Tocantins.
"Many people in the State still don't know about the carbon market and have no idea how far the State of Tocantins has come on this issue. I would like to congratulate Dr. Aleandro Lacerda, who, together with the government of the State of Tocantins, has taken a step forward in these discussions," he said.
For Magistrate Wellington Magalhães, holding this debate at the National Land Forum of the General Chiefs of Justice is an effective demonstration of the concern of the Judiciary with combining discussions about the carbon market and land regularization.
"This is an opportunity for us in the State of Tocantins to witness the technical staff of the State being equipped for the commercialization of carbon credits. Land problems are going to come before the judiciary: deforestation, land grabbing, illegal sales, all of this is already knocking on the doors of the Judiciary and so we have these realities: on the one hand, a green gold in our hands, which is the environmental wealth of all Brazilians; on the other, the possibility of making this wealth also serve to equip State structures, so that public policies for the Environment, for land governance are effectively carried out with excellence and quality. That was the intention of bringing this matter to the Land Forum, so that we can leave this event interested in seeking a better understanding of this issue," he said.
