UNEP Initiative on Capacity Building for Integrated Assessment and Planning for Sustainable Development Mid-term Review Meeting Geneva, February 16-17, 2005 Brazil: Enhancing the Capacity for Integrated Assessment and Planning in the Context of the Brazilian Amazon Sustainable Plan: The Soybean Sector in the BR163 Road Influence Area

Some General Features Brazilian Federation – 27 states (5600 municipalities) Brazil – 8.5 millions Km2 Amazon Region (9 states) – 5 millions Km2 = 60% Population: Brazil millions Amazon Region – 23 millions = 12% (in 1980 = 8%) Rate of urbanization: Brazil – 81% Amazon Region – 68% Brazil: 1 st world’s soybean exporter

Figura 1: Área de Influência da BR 163. PLANO DE DESENVOLVIMENTO REGIONAL SUSTENTÁVEL DA ÁREA DE INFLUÊNCIA DA RODOVIA BR-163

Objective of the Project Enhance the capacity of the Brazilian government and national institutions to undertake integrated assessment and planning for sustainable development, for the consolidation of the Sustainable BR163 Highway Plan. Addressing sustainable agriculture, environmental management, poverty alleviation, and sustainable trade promotion. Assessing the planning procedural and substantive aspects of the plan that take into account social, economic and environmental linkages and causalities. Introducing legitimate participatory methods in the planning process and decision-making that involve all relevant stakeholders.

Expected Outcome The development of an integrated assessment and planning method replicable to the remainder of the PAS region A final document containing the results of the assessment studies, both procedural and substantive, with sustainable development policy recommendations for the BR163 influence area The strengthening of the transversal (integrated planning and decision-making) management policy

Institutional Arrangement Leading government institutions – Ministry of the Environment – Ministry of the National Integration Facilitating National Institution – Centre for Sustainable Development of the University of Brasília (CDS)

Institutional Arrangement Civil House of the Republic Presidency* Ministry of the National Integration – MI* Ministry of the Environment – MMA* Ministry of the Planning, Budget and Administration – MP* Ministry of the Transport - MT Ministry of the Agrarian Development - MDA Ministry of the Development, Industry and Trade - MDIC Ministry of Mines and Energy - MME Ministry of the Cities – MCid Ministry of the Justice – MJ Ministry of the Health – MS Ministry of the Education – MEC Ministry of Social Development – MDS Ministry of the Labour and Employment – MTE Ministry of the Agriculture, Livestock and Supplying – MAPA Ministry of Finance – MF Ministry of Science and Technology – MCT Other government institutions

Initiation of the Project Two meetings organised with ministries involved in the planning process of PAS and Sustainable BR163 Plan – design of the project and preparation of the MoU One meeting with the direct assistance from DTI/UNEP, June 2004 – focus on project’s scope Background document prepared for the 1st National Workshop 1st National Workshop - October 2004 – launching the project and discussing key issues Steering Committee – relevant stakeholder representatives and development agencies participating in the workshop. Coordinating Group – led by the Ministry of the Environment – Ministry of National Integration, UNEP-Brazil, CDS

Stakeholder Involvement Relevant Stakeholders – Environmental and social movements, including relevant NGOs – Private sector (agribusiness and transport) – Federal government – State government – Development agencies Methods of Consultation – workshops and meetings

Rationale of the Planning Process Planning process initiated by the creation of an Inter-ministerial Working Group led by the Civil House of the Presidency with the purpose of offer a set of measures leading to the mitigation of impacts resulted from the investment in transport infra-structure – BR163, and the sustainable development of its influence area

Rationale of the Planning Process Gaps and weaknesses of the contents of the plan (yet a preliminary analysis) – Unclear and disputed understanding of the linkages and causalities of the economic, social and environmental issues – Insufficiency of conceptual debate on sustainable development, dividing stakeholders – causing weak political support

Rationale of the Planning Process Gaps and weaknesses of the process – Loose articulation with state governments and social movements – Fragile people’s participation in the public hearings – No clear method of conciliation between different government (federal, state) interests.

Tools and methods to be used to overcome the weaknesses 1 – Regional studies (starting) – Identification of key issues and formulation of hypotheses of linkages and causalities – Selection of economic, social and environmental indicators for the assessment – Field study using participatory appraisal method in three priority areas, with different social, environmental and economic processes – Simulation of scenarios – Regional workshops

Tools and methods to be used to overcome the weaknesses 2 – National studies (to be started, involving other institutions and projects) – Compilation of existing studies, information, documents – Specific study on relevant stakeholders participation in actual decision making – Cataloguing of projects implemented or planned for the influence area of BR 163 road. – 2nd National Workshop

Key Geo-Economic Issues – Land tenure, land market (access cost) – Competitiveness of the agribusiness sector – Economic alternatives – diversification

Key Environmental Issues – High deforestation rate – Preservation of the protected areas – Loss of environmental services and connectivity Soil erosion and connectivity; Genetic erosion Water contamination Pesticides contamination Degradation of urban environment

Figura 3: Áreas Protegidas na área de abrangência da BR 163 PLANO DE DESENVOLVIMENTO REGIONAL SUSTENTÁVEL DA ÁREA DE INFLUÊNCIA DA RODOVIA BR-163

Key Social Issues – Land concentration and regularisation – Migration and frontier mechanisms (land grabbing, violence, unemployment, swelling of slums in small towns, etc) – Malfunction of official land settlements – Disarticulated government actions – Modest involvement of social actors, especially affected family operators and traditional populations,

Preliminary Results of using tools and methods Insufficient studies Inventory of key issues Mobilization of stakeholders

Challenges – Improve institutional mechanisms for the implementation of the field study and integration of the project team with the GTI planners; – Find efficient method to assess stakeholder participation in planning process – Get more involvement of development agencies – Integrate actions of governmental agencies concerned

Opportunities Increasing interest raised from the success and quality of the participation in the national workshop – potentials to design a new project – replication of the method, use as a less costly or an alternative method for strategic assessment of large investments or other regional development programmes (e.g. ecotourism poles).

Planned Activities and Next Steps Organise and implement the participatory field study and the national study.