Ministry of the Environment releases a practical guide to raising funds for protected areas

The Brazilian National Agency for Protected Areas of the Ministry of the Environment (“MMA”) has made available a guide for municipalities to instruct their officials on how to obtain financial resources to fund the creation and management of environmental conservation areas.

The guide available on the MMA’s website provides relevant information on sources of funds that can be raised, in addition to mechanisms for managing the funds received for application in environmental issues.

There are also clarifications about funds that finance environmental areas, such as the National Forestry Development Fund, Amazon Fund, Fund for the Defense of Diffuse Rights, National Environment Fund, and the Climate Fund.

A highlight among the ways for raising funds is the possibility of charging for the use of water, eligible in municipalities that have watersheds in their territorial perimeters.

Charging for the use of water resources is provided for in the National Policy on Water Resources and encourages the conscious use of water, as well as recognizing it as an economic good.

The municipality that intends to adopt this costing method must verify if there is a regulated Watershed Committee in the region, composed of representatives from the government and civil society.

Among the other fundraising possibilities presented by the guide are environmental compensation, concessions, authorizations, permissions for the use of public goods, amongst other modalities.

The Practical Guide to Fundraising for Protected Areas and other conservation measures at the local level is part of the project “Protected Areas and Other Area-Based Conservation Measures at the Local Government Level”, arising from the collaboration between the governments of Brazil and Germany through the International Climate Protection Initiative (IKI).

Demarest’s Environmental team is available to provide any further clarifications that may be necessary.