Besides the various initiatives mentioned at the Previous NCSA Related Activities section, this initiative might establish links with the following activities:
Second National Environment Program
The Second National Environment Program (PNMA II) results from a loan agreement between the Brazilian Government and IBRD and is structured in two main components: (1) Institutional Development and (2) Integrated Management for Environmental Assets. A third component, (3) Coordination and Articulation is transversal to the first two and will guarantee the necessary structure for the program implementation. The Institutional Development component is divided in three sub-components: (i) Environmental Licensing; (ii) Water Quality Monitoring; and (iii) Costal Management. The Program, estimated in US$ 300 million, shall be implemented in three distinct phases in ten years.
As a long-term initiative (2000-2010), inserted in the Pluri-annual Plan and involving the three public administration levels (Federal, state and municipal), the PNMA II is based, generally, in experiences accumulated during PNMA I, which was implemented from 1991 to 1996, and evaluated in its final stage.
The possible link with NCSA is justified by its capacity to include aspects of long-term planning and implementation into the project.
Brazilian Environmental Management Diagnosis
The Diagnosis is a decentralized strategic study held in 2000 and 2001 under MMA coordination. The main Diagnosis objective was to identify the present situation of the State environmental management, establishing a baseline for the PNMA II implementation.
Reports for each one of the 26 States and the Federal District were created by the Regional Environment Secretariats and considering the following environmental management aspects: (i) forestry resources; (ii) water resources; (iii) solid waste; (iv) economic instruments for environmental management; (v) environmental licensing; (vi) environmental monitoring; (vii) regional protected natural areas management; (viii) decentralization of environmental management; and, finally (ix) participation in environmental management.
Capacity questions were especially debated for each one of the above-mentioned aspects. Even though the reports are comprehensive and detailed, a summary that points the most pressing national issues is necessary. Nevertheless, it constitutes a relevant subsidy for the NCSA process in Brazil.
As mentioned before, a substantial increase in the annual deforestation tax in the Amazon was registered in the past two years. In the period from August 2001 to August 2002, the devastation exceeded 21.5 thousand km², representing a 40% increase comparing to the previous period. In 2003, a devastation of 23.7 thousand km² in the region is estimated.
The release of these data alarmed the Government to take action in 2003. In July of that year, a Permanent Inter-Ministerial Working Group focused on proposing measures and coordinating actions that would aim at the reduction of the deforestation levels on Legal Amazon was established by Decree. The Working Group is leaded by the Presidency of Republic and is composed by representatives from the following Ministries: Agrarian Development; Agriculture; Defense; Energy; Environment; Foreign Relations; Industry, Development and Foreign Commerce; Justice; Labor; National Integration; Planning, Budget and Management; Science and Technology; and Transports. Action areas and instruments to combat deforestation were defined for each Ministry that compose the Working Group, including responsibilities to different institutions linked to the referred Ministries.
One of the actions taken was to prepare a diagnosis of the recent deforestation, using monitoring state program data, as PRODES from INPE and the Integrated Program on Monitoring, Prevention and Control of Deforestation, Burning and Combat to Forestry Fires (PROARCO) from IBAMA. Data from NGOs respected on deforestation and Amazon studies, such as IPAM and ISA, were used. Besides the diagnosis, strategic procedures for a coordinated intervention in the deforestation control and prevention fields were prepared, and a Action Plan was released in March, 2004.10
Since the lack of control related to the Amazon deforestation has complex causes, being mostly a symptom of systemic gaps of capacity in the environmental management scope, it will be very productive if NCSA establishes a link with this initiative.
Brazilian Agenda 21
The Brazilian Agenda 21 is a strategic planning process, done in a participative way, aiming at including the country and its regions complexity within the enlarged concept of sustainability. Conduced by the Commission on Sustainable Development Policies and the Brazilian 21 Agenda, the final stage of the national process was concluded in May 2002 with the creation of two main documents: “Brazilian Agenda 21: Priority Actions”, which establishes the preferential paths for the construction of the sustainability in Brazil, and the “Brazilian Agenda 21 – National Consultation Result”, product from the discussions taken in the whole country.11
The “Agenda 21 Commission” was created in 1997 and had its composition and regulation reviewed by a decree on February 3rd, 2004. The Commission, composed by a wide range of members, works in the Natural Resources Policies Chamber, and takes part at the Government Council. It is presided by a representative from MMA and counts with representatives from other 14 Ministries, as well as representatives from the Municipalities and Environment National Association (ANAMMA), the Brazilian Environment Entities Association (ABEMA), representatives from youth entities, human rights organizations, indigenous communities, traditional communities, consumer rights organizations, Brazilian Company Council for the Sustainable Development (CEBDS), Urban Reform Forum, company entities, scientific and academic community organizations, Brazilian NGOs and Social Movements for Environment and Development Forum, and finally, unions.
Six thematic axis compose the Brazilian Agenda 21 documents: (i) Sustainable Agriculture; (ii) Sustainable Cities; (iii) Infra-structure and Regional Integration; (iv) Natural Resources Management; (v) Reduction of Social Disparities; and (vi) Science and Technology for the Sustainable Development.
Beyond the consultations done in each one of the 26 States and regional meetings linked to the National Agenda 21, the process of the Agenda 21 is at present being multiplied at decentralized levels, and the Local Agenda 21 is being implemented in many municipalities in Brazil.
Due to the amplitude and capillarity of the Agenda 21 process, and by having identified many important capacity questions on the global environmental management in Brazil, it will be beneficial for NCSA to establish a link with this process.
Second National Communication to the UNFCCC
The Second National Communication project, which will start in 2006, foresees the continuity of the fulfillment of commitments assumed in the UNFCCC. The project involves issues ranging from the mitigation of greenhouse gases to studies on vulnerability and adaptation to climate change, as well as education and institutional capacity activities on this topic.
The vulnerability component presents potential areas for studies that verify the integration between climate issues with others related to biodiversity and desertification.
The NCSA will build on the results of past and ongoing relevant initiatives, in particular the biodiversity enabling activity, first and second national communications, and Action Plan for Prevention and Control of Deforestation on Legal Amazon. First, stock-take exercise of the NCSA will review all the past and ongoing relevant activities thoroughly. Then, thematic assessments of the NCSA will make the best use of relevant initiatives, without duplicating previous works.
