Photo by Felipe Tubarão
The Atlantic Forest Fund of the State of Rio de Janeiro (FMA-RJ) is an innovative operational and financial mechanism that aims to speed up and make the application of resources for biodiversity conservation and environmental protection and recovery easier and more effective.
Established by State Law 6,572/2013 and improved by State Law 7,061/2015, the FMA-RJ enables the management of resources from environmental compensation, as well as national or international donations, forest recomposition obligations, Conduct Adjustment Agreements (TACs), among other sources, in favor of environmental conservation.
Since the creation of the FMA-RJ, it has supported 122 projects and allocated USD 56 million.
The FMA-RJ is composed of 6 operational instruments:
| Donations |
The FMA-RJ operates projects funded by national and international donations for the protection and conservation of biodiversity and approved by the Rio de Janeiro State Environment Secretariat. |
| Environmental Offsetting |
The FMA-RJ manages resources from environmental offsets, that is, from the obligation of businesses to support the creation and maintenance of Conservation Units when their enterprises have a high environmental impact. Since its creation, in 2010, more than USD 56 million have been executed in projects for municipal, state and federal preservation areas, proving the efficiency of the mechanism. Many State Conservation Units were enhanced based on the projects such as: Management Plans; construction of headquarters in the Conservation Units; monitoring and prevention of environmental crimes; Public Use projects, and others. |
| Forest Restoration |
The fund operates projects originating from the obligation of forest replacement by businesses (Federal Law 11.428/2006), and also from other legally foreseen forest restoration obligations. Forest restoration actions should prioritize
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| Financial Fiduciary |
Financial mechanism to ensure the management and operation of the conservation units created by the state public power, especially their current expenses, aiming at their permanent financial sustainability. |
| Conduct Adjustment Agreement (TAC) |
The FMA operates environmental projects with resources coming from conduct adjustment term (TAC), that means, from agreements signed between the Rio de Janeiro State Secretary for the Environment and Sustainability (Seas) and individuals or companies to adjust their conduct due to environmental irregularities. |
| Other Sources |
Financial mechanism to operate state environmental protection programs from other sources (not covered above) |
The execution of projects is carried out through an operational manager(s) and a financial manager of the fund. These institutions are selected through a public selection process.
Managing the accounts held by the operational manager is the responsibility of the contracted financial institution, as well as guaranteeing the remuneration conditions for the application of the resources. The operational entity is responsible for contracting and executing projects. Both managers are duly monitored and inspected by Seas, responsible also for ensuring the full execution of the resources.
This mechanism contributes to the reduction of bureaucracy in the management of resources, since the private resources or those coming from donations and other sources do not pass through the public budget.
The FMA-RJ enables a gain in scale, synergy, and efficiency in environmental management, in view of the concentration and centralization of resources from various entrepreneurs or individuals/legal entities (previously pulverized and executed in a disconnected manner) and the integrated vision of the mechanism, aligned with environmental policies and priorities.
Participatory instances in the mechanism are the Environmental Compensation Chamber (CCA) and the State Commission for Forest Restoration (CERF), establishing evaluation mechanisms in the selection and execution of projects.
Individuals and companies can make donations to the Atlantic Forest Fund.
