Norway to provide USD 60 million to Brazil following reduction in deforestation – Norway's International Climate and Forest Initiative

18. November 2024

Norway will provide USD 60 million in support to Brazil’s Amazon Fund. Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre announced the new funding during the G20 Summit in Rio de Janeiro. The support has been allocated in connection with the 31 per cent reduction in deforestation that Brazil has achieved over the last year.

Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre met with Brazil’s Minister of Environment and Climate Change during his visit to Rio de Janeiro.

During the G20 Summit, Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre will have the chance to meet with the President of Brazil to reaffirm Norway and Brazil’s longstanding cooperation on climate change and rainforest protction.

‘Preserving the Amazon rainforest is one of the world’s most important measures for addressing the impacts of climate change. Brazil has succeeded in reducing deforestation. This is clear evidence of the Brazilian Government’s ambition and ability to take action under President Lula’s leadership,’ said Prime Minister Støre.

In the period from August 2023 to June 2024, deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon dropped to its lowest level since 2015, and the fifth lowest deforestation rate since measurement began in 1988.

‘Norway has supported Brazil’s rainforest initiative for many years. Norwegian allocations to the Amazon Fund help to safeguard one of the planet’s most essential ecosystems,’ said Mr Støre.

The Amazon river is a vital watery superhighway that serves as practically the only way to connect forest communities and move around some of the most remote stretches on the planet.

Bringing a halt to Amazon deforestation

The Lula Government is pushing to stop deforestation in the Amazon by 2030.

The Amazon is the world’s largest rainforest. It covers an area that is larger than all of Western Europe and plays a crucial role in the global climate system. Sixty per cent of the Amazon rainforest is in Brazil.

‘The world’s rainforests absorb and store billions of tonnes of CO2. Supporting rainforest preservation is one of the most important investments we can make. Deforestation has decreased significantly since President Lula took office in January last year. Brazil is at the forefront of global efforts to promote rainforest conservation,’ said Minister of Climate and Environment Tore O. Sandvik.

The Amazon Fund was established by President Lula 16 years ago to manage international contributions to support Brazil‘s initiative to combat deforestation. The Fund has played a key role in enhancing Brazil’s efforts to reduce deforestation and promote sustainable development in the Amazon.

The Amazon Fund has so far provided support to 114 projects all over Brazil. The 114 dots on the map represent a project. Each color represents a project type: states, federal governments, third sector, universities and international projects.

Facts about the Amazon Fund

The Amazon Fund is a performance-based mechanism that leads to dual benefits. Funding is only disbursed after deforestation has been reduced and the funds are then used to support measures designed to further reduce deforestation.

The Amazon Fund has so far provided support to 114 projects. The projects have helped to achieve:

protection of almost 200 areas – an overall area twice the size of Germany;
protection of more than 100 indigenous territories, benefitting 61 000 indigenous people;
enforcement of the law and prevention of fires in nearly 2 000 field operations;
enforcement of Brazil’s Forest Code on private properties for a total area of France and Germany combined;
support for sustainable business activities for some 250 000 people;
the provision of free, locally produced school meals for 1 million children in the Amazon region.

A local cooperative in the Juruena area of Mato Grosso recieve and process Brazil nuts from the rainforest. The sustainable use of the forest has created several jobs, especially for women, in a project supported by Norway through the Amazon Fund.