Semas holds CLPI on REDD+ Jurisdictional System with communities of Baixo Amazonas
The seventh Free, Prior and Informed Consultation on the System reinforces the State's commitment to the rights of quilombola peoples and participatory construction in climate governance
The Government of Pará, through the State Secretariat for the Environment, Climate and Sustainability (Semas), is holding from July 29 to August 1, in Santarém, in western Pará, the 7th round of the Free, Prior and Informed Consultation (CLPI) to hear the demands of quilombola communities from Baixo Amazonas, as part of the process of building the Jurisdictional REDD+ System of Pará (SJREDD+). The activity has the support and participation of the State Secretariat for Racial Equality and Human Rights (Seirdh) and the State Coordination of the Associations of the Remaining Quilombo Communities of Pará (Malungu).
The regional stage brings together representatives from quilombola territories in the Baixo Amazonas Integration Region, who had already held preparatory meetings in their communities. Collective participation was formally reaffirmed through the Federation of Quilombola Organizations of Santarém (FOQS), which highlighted the commitment to defending territorial rights, climate justice, and qualified participation in the debate on REDD+ in Pará.
According to the Deputy Secretary for Water and Climate Management at Semas, Renata Nobre, "the process of building the Jurisdictional REDD+ in Pará only makes sense with the effective participation of traditional peoples and communities. The Free, Prior and Informed Consultation with quilombola territories is a fundamental step to ensure that their voices, knowledge, and priorities are reflected in this system. Our commitment is to build a climate policy that respects rights, promotes socio-environmental justice, and values those who already care for the forest."
Concept and objectives - During the four days of programming, participants have access to informative panels and dynamics on various topics, such as the concept and objectives of SJREDD+, the functioning of Measurement, Reporting and Verification (MRV) of emissions, the criteria for generating carbon credits, and the socio-environmental safeguards that guide the process. Strategies for benefit-sharing and subprograms for accessing resources, among other points, are also presented.
For the head of Seirdh, Edilza Fontes, the joint construction of the Jurisdictional REDD+ System in Pará is essential to ensure the legitimacy of the process. "We are building with the participation of quilombolas, indigenous peoples, extractivists, and family farmers. Everyone will look at the legislative proposal, which has been discussed since 2020, with the participation of these groups. Now, the time has come to conduct regulated consultations. This joint construction will change the face of Pará and ensure more resources for public policies aimed at the area," emphasized the secretary.
The CLPI process in Pará follows the principles of Convention 169 of the International Labour Organization (ILO), which ensures Free, Prior and Informed Consultation for traditional peoples and communities that may be impacted by public policies in their ways of life.
Advances - The program also provides for internal deliberation spaces for the consulted communities, reception of contributions from the State, and a general meeting on the advances presented in the participatory process of the Jurisdictional REDD+.
Benedito Mota, from Quilombo Tiningu in Santarém, was present at this stage, recognizing the importance of the moment of listening to the communities. "I have been hearing about carbon and REDD+ for about a year, and now we are participating in this consultation promoted by the government with the quilombola communities of Baixo Amazonas. I understand that this process is a two-way street: we need the government, and the government needs to listen to the communities. It is us, quilombola, indigenous, and riverside peoples, who are in the forest and have always taken care of it. Since birth, our roots are in the quilombo, preserving the territory and the resources that are now valued by this project," said Benedito Mota.
The construction of SJREDD+ is one of the strategies of the State Plan for Amazon Now (PEAA) and integrates the framework of the State Policy on Climate Change (PEMC). Pará is a pioneer in building a jurisdictional REDD+ system in Brazil, which aims to promote the reduction of emissions from deforestation, with social inclusion, legal security, and appreciation of traditional knowledge and forest peoples.
