Brazil’s Federal Environmental Compensation Committee has Allocated US$ 81.4 Million to Support Conservation Units Across the Country
Brazil
The submission period is open for proposals for the 2026 cycle of the Recycling Incentive Law (LIR). The initiative aims to strengthen the recycling value chain, promote the circular economy and expand private investment through tax incentives, including actions to support waste pickers, technological development and the structuring of recycling systems. In the previous cycle, held in 2025, 952 projects were submitted, with US$ 414 million in requested investments across 26 states. (MMA)
According to the Federal University of Amazonas, the Atlas ODS Amazonas will be launched on February 2, presenting an unprecedented diagnosis of sustainable development across the state’s 62 municipalities. The publication analyzes 42 official indicators aligned with the 17 Sustainable Development Goals of the UN 2030 Agenda, covering data on health, education, the environment, infrastructure, gender equality and governance. The study aims to support evidence-based public policies and strengthen territorial planning in the Amazon region. (UFAM)
Court of Justice from the State of Bahia has inaugurated two Regional Environmental Courts focused on land conflicts and the protection of the rights of Indigenous Peoples and Traditional African communities, based in the cities of Salvador and Porto Seguro. The new courts will have exclusive jurisdiction over environmental crimes and administrative violations, land disputes and cases involving Indigenous rights, aiming to strengthen judicial specialization and efficiency in environmental matters. (STJ)
Brazil’s Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change has signed a technical cooperation agreement with the Ministry of Culture, the Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation and the National Historic and Artistic Heritage Institute to align environmental conservation with cultural policy in territories of traditional peoples and communities. The initiative will start, on a priority basis, in the Chico Mendes Extractive Reserve, in the State of Acre, focusing on stronger socio-environmental management, community-based tourism, and the socio-biodiversity economy. (MMA)
Goiás State Legislature has approved State Law No. 24034/2026, establishing the State Policy to Promote the “Green Room” project. The initiative supports the creation of non-formal environmental education spaces focused on citizenship, sustainability and awareness of natural resource use. The policy encourages partnerships with public institutions, civil society and the private sector, as well as educational activities and annual monitoring of initiatives. (Legislative Assembly of Goiás)
The Ministry of the Environment has extended the application deadline for the 2nd edition of the Guardians of Sociobiodiversity Award to February 23rd. The initiative aims to recognize and financially support organizations that protect and preserve traditional knowledge associated with Brazil’s biodiversity. This edition will select 50 organizations representing Indigenous peoples, Traditional African communities, family farmers and other traditional communities, with a total investment of US$ 563,910 and awards of US$ 9,399 per initiative. (MMA)
Brazil’s Federal Environmental Compensation Committee has allocated US$ 81.4 million to support conservation units across the country, using funds from environmental compensation payments linked to projects licensed by Ibama, Brazil’s federal environmental enforcement and licensing authority. Part of the resources will be directed to federally managed protected areas under ICMBio, as well as to states and municipalities. The decision was made during the 100th Ordinary Meeting of the committee, held in December 2025 in the city of Brasília, Brazil’s capital. (Ibama)
Brazilian Cerrado biome is facing a systemic crisis and may be approaching a point of no return. According to the research, more than 55% of the biome’s native vegetation has already been destroyed, making the Cerrado the Brazilian biome that has lost the most vegetation cover in recent decades. The degradation goes beyond visible deforestation and includes the loss of natural grasslands, savannas, and rocky ecosystems. The authors point out that, even when the Forest Code is formally complied with, the legally required conservation thresholds are ecologically insufficient to maintain the biome’s functionality. (Nature Conservation)
The Bahia State Secretariat for the Environment has launched the update of the State Action Plan to Combat Desertification through a virtual meeting involving state and federal agencies. The revision aims to update data, streamline the plan and strengthen efforts to address desertification and drought impacts in Bahia’s semi-arid region, which covers about 85% of the state’s territory. (Sema-BA)
Brazil’s Federal Police launched an operation to curb illegal deforestation and land grabbing in a Federal agrarian reform settlement administered by Brazil’s National Institute for Colonization and Agrarian Reform, in the rural area of Cruzeiro do Sul, State of Acre. Investigations uncovered the unauthorized clearing of more than 379 hectares of public forest, resulting in environmental damage estimated at US$ 414,000. Authorities say the deforested plots were illegally leased for cattle ranching, an activity incompatible with the land’s public agrarian reform purpose. (Federal Police)
Government of the State of Rio Grande do Sul held the third workshop of its Just Energy Transition Plan for coal-dependent regions, focusing on the Campanha and Baixo Jacuí areas. Led by the State Secretariat for the Environment and Infrastructure (Sema), the initiative aims to reduce reliance on coal in a planned and socially just manner, aligning decarbonization efforts with economic and social development. The plan is part of Proclima2050, the state’s long-term climate policy framework that guides mitigation and adaptation actions and sets targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. (Rio Grande do Sul Government)
During a visit to China, Brazil’s Minister of Mines and Energy, Alexandre Silveira, presented Envision Energy with a portfolio of billion-dollar opportunities linked to Brazil’s energy transition. The government positioned Brazil as one of the world’s most competitive platforms for clean energy investments, including green hydrogen, green ammonia, sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), battery energy storage systems (BESS) and large-scale wind power. The meeting is part of Brazil’s strategy to attract long-term international capital and expand low-carbon value chains. (MME)
WWF-Brazil submitted 31 technical recommendations to the federal government to help guide Brazil’s Roadmap for phasing out fossil fuels, in response to a presidential directive issued in December 2025. The proposals are organized around four pillars: financing; governance; targets and timelines; and sectoral guidelines. The document calls for the reallocation of subsidies currently directed to fossil fuels toward low-carbon solutions, stronger governance of the energy transition and a halt to the expansion of the fossil fuel frontier, alongside a planned phase-down of the oil and gas sector. (WWF-Brazil)
Ministry of Finance has updated Brazil’s Country Programme 2025–2029 with the Green Climate Fund, consolidating the national strategy to access the main multilateral climate finance mechanism. The document outlines approximately US$ 1 billion in climate projects, in addition to US$ 3.8 billion in co-financing, with the potential to avoid 665 million tonnes of CO₂ emissions and benefit 53 million people. (Ministry of Finance)
Association of Soybean Farmers in the State of Mato Grosso has strengthened the Soja Legal (Legal Soybean) Program, a voluntary socio-environmental compliance and best-practices program for soybean farmers, by expanding the use of socio-environmental diagnostics on farms. The initiative assesses environmental, labor, and land tenure aspects using data from Brazil’s Rural Environmental Registry (CAR) and farmers’ tax records, identifying strengths, risks, and areas for improvement prior to on-site inspections. (Aprosoja MT)
Brazil’s Agriculture Committee of the Lower House of Congress approved Bill No. 3612/2025, which establishes the National Program for the Recovery of Degraded Land in the Amazon. The program is to be implemented by the federal government, states, and municipalities, promoting sustainable practices, improved soil management technologies, and alignment with Brazil’s environmental targets. The bill will still be reviewed by additional committees before final approval in Congress. (Agência Câmara Notícias)
Latin America
Congress of Argentina is expected to review in February, during extraordinary sessions, a proposal to amend the Glaciers Law, which has already received fast-track approval in the Senate. The group says the initiative represents a serious environmental setback, as it weakens protections for glaciers and periglacial areas, considered strategic freshwater reserves. According to the organizations, the change puts the water security of more than 7 million people at risk and violates constitutional principles and international environmental commitments. (Greenpeace Argentina)
Brazil and Costa Rica have advanced their bilateral cooperation in the agricultural sector, focusing on sustainability, bioinputs, technological innovation and low-carbon agriculture. During a meeting between the two countries’ agriculture ministries, discussions covered genetic material exchange, digital agriculture, sanitary protocols and sustainable financing mechanisms, including initiatives inspired by Brazil’s ABC low-carbon agriculture program. (MAPA)
Chile has received 145 firefighters from Mexico to support efforts against high-intensity wildfires affecting the south of the country, with multiple active hotspots impacting communities, infrastructure and ecosystems. President Gabriel Boric declared a Constitutional State of Catastrophe in the Ñuble and Biobío regions. (Government of Chile)
Chile has declared the Mapocho River an Urban Wetland, securing the protection of 647 hectares spanning 13 municipalities in the Santiago Metropolitan Region. The measure strengthens urban biodiversity conservation, protects more than 80 plant and animal species, including threatened species, and contributes to climate adaptation by reducing flood risks during winter and mitigating urban heat islands in summer. (Ministry of the Environment of Chile)
Government of Colombia has launched its first long-term electricity contracting mechanism, with contracts of up to 15 years, aimed at accelerating the energy transition, ensuring supply security and reducing price volatility. Led by the Ministry of Mines and Energy, the initiative includes clean energy projects and battery storage systems. The mechanism also supports compliance with the requirement that electricity retailers source between 8% and 10% of their energy from clean sources. The process will be operated by the Colombian Mercantile Exchange, with technical support from the Inter-American Development Bank, a multilateral development institution that finances and advises projects focused on sustainable development in Latin America and the Caribbean—and the World Bank. (MinEnergia)
Nicaragua has inaugurated a new Biological Station and Training Center at the Masaya Volcano National Park, aimed at strengthening scientific research and biodiversity conservation. Led by the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, the initiative includes an annual plan of 12 technical training sessions focused on flora and fauna monitoring, camera traps and herbarium management, targeting government technicians, institutions and university students. (Marena)
Government of Peru strengthened the conservation of Amazonian forests and wetlands through the ProBosques y Humedales Project. The initiative promotes the sustainable use of aguaje (Mauritia flexuosa), a local palm species, strengthens environmental management and supports bio-business development in Amazonian communities, focusing on the departments of Loreto, Ucayali and San Martín. The project will run until 2027. (Minam)
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