The Pan-Amazonian Cities Forum (PACF), a platform for the exchange of knowledge and experiences among local governments in the Amazon region with the aim of promoting sustainable development, was officially launched this Wednesday, November 4th, during the global event Amazon+21 Forum.

The initiative, carried out through a partnership between ICLEI South America, WayCarbon, and the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, through the Regional Energy Security and Climate Change Program (EKLA), will bring together various representatives from the Planning and Sustainable Development departments of Amazonian cities in Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. 

Understanding the essential role played by local governments in this movement, and in order to promote the official launch of the initiative in a space with a great diversity of actors and potential strategic partners for the FCPA, the organizing institutions joined forces to promote two events during the Amazon+21 Forum: the launch panel of the Pan-Amazonian Cities Forum and the official and exclusive meeting of Secretaries. 

In the panel, mayors and secretaries were invited to discuss local challenges for sustainable development in the Amazon, exploring how cooperation initiatives like the FCPA can be useful for regional integration. 

“The exchange between local governments to promote the sustainable development of Amazonian cities is very important, because only they have effective knowledge of what is happening in each city,” explains Anuska Soares, coordinator of EKLA, during the platform's launch.

“The goal of this Forum is to bring the concept of sustainable development for the Amazon into the 21st century, linked to the vision of the cities we want to create. The Forum proposes two lines of action: the bioeconomy and the generation of green jobs; and the role of cities in preventing deforestation and preserving the standing forest,” comments Rodrigo Perpétuo, executive secretary of ICLEI South America.

The panel also aimed to reinforce the commitment of the institutions involved to the sustainable development of the Amazon, as well as to attract new local governments to participate in the FCPA. 

“Global economic and environmental futures are interconnected in how urban challenges will be addressed. Cities have significant impacts, consuming more than 70% of natural resources and energy and producing approximately 60% of greenhouse gas emissions. Currently, 54% of the global population lives in cities,” warns Denise Hamú, representative of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in Brazil.

The meeting also fostered a qualified debate among the Secretaries of Planning and Sustainable Development regarding local priorities for generating green jobs and reducing deforestation.

“A standing tree is worth much more than a felled one. After a few years of deforestation comes desertification, drought, and climate change,” comments Arthur Virgílio Neto, mayor of Manaus (AM). “It’s a huge step forward that we are discussing the Amazon with the world today – here in the Amazon. May we concentrate and lead the discussion about our challenges and riches from here,” declares Hildon Chaves, mayor of Porto Velho (RO).

Work meeting

At the exclusive meeting for Secretaries on November 5th, the discussion focused on the technical agenda and the exchange of local experiences and public policies that contribute to and promote economic growth combined with the preservation of the local forest.

Issues such as land regulation and land use were commonly cited by secretaries and their representatives present at the meeting, as well as the availability of funds and the relationship with other federative entities.

YouThe Undersecretary of Sustainable Development and Environment of Parintins (AM), Alzenilson Aquino, revealed that one of the main problems in the territory is the production of illegal timber, with land regularization being an important issue for the region. "Alliances between municipalities allow them to become stronger and share successful experiences, creating strategies and public policies that will reduce new deforested areas," he stated.

“The Amazon is the region that defines the world's climate balance,” observes Ruy Correa, Secretary of Planning and Economic Development of Santarém. “If we don't have the opportunity to incorporate the vision of those who know and live in the region – and feel the difficulty of accessing and enjoying the benefits that modern society offers – we won't be able to attract massive investment. I see with great optimism the opportunity to combine experiences in search of a suitable solution for the entire Pan-Amazon region.”

The Director of Environmental Public Policies and Climate Change at the Porto Velho (RO) Environment Secretariat, Lucinara Camargo, points to governance as one of the main issues to be resolved in the region. “Strengthening governance is important for us as a municipality. The biggest challenges for smaller municipalities lie in implementation, lack of technical capacity, and a reduced number of employees.”

Percy Romero, Planning and Budget Manager for Jaen, Peru, points out that the country's capital is a coastal city, making it difficult to visualize the typical development patterns of Amazonian cities. “We are always striving to propose ideas and strategic partnerships with the private sector, because there is great potential here. The government provides us with very limited funding, and we are unable to boost some of our initiatives. I am learning a lot from what is being discussed here.”

The scenario repeats itself in Bolivia, where the state also centralizes resources, which doesn't allow for much investment, according to Rodrigo Vaca, Secretary of Agrarian Development and Environment of Riberalta. “The little we receive, we invest in cooperation with the third sector. It's important that we are here, generating public policy initiatives so that the Amazon receives special treatment in each of our countries. We must continue seeking these opportunities to build increasingly stronger bridges with the federal government and direct investments in indigenous communities,” he believes.