Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation in the State of Acre, Brazil

The State of Acre, with a surface area of 164,221 km2, corresponds to 4% of the Brazilian Amazon and 2% of the national territory.

The Sustainable Development Policy of the State of Acre is clear when considering forest integrated management. In this policy, the forest is a provider of environmental products and services, and together with the diverse uses of the areas already converted, are structured based on the knowledge of the territory which allows the creation of integrated strategies at the local, municipal, regional and state levels.

The goals of the program include:

• The promotion of the transition to more productive agricultural systems
• Reducing the need to expand areas for agriculture and thus avoiding further deforestation
• Increasing the economic value of the standing forest
• Improving the quality of life of forest-dependent people

The concept of this program, its objectives, principles, guidelines and forms of management, were the result of a broad debate with civil society in the state of Acre on environmental services related to carbon and enshrined by law, incorporating the recommendations of each of the sectors consulted.