Peru has stepped up efforts to reduce deforestation in the Amazon through the major international forest and climate alliance with Germany, Norway, the UK, and the US. Important progress has been made on the expansion of protected areas and indigenous reserves and putting in place important policy and monitoring instruments. Norway announces a payment of USD 10 million to Peru as part of the existing climate and forest partnership for achieved policy milestones. The payment will be made as soon as Peru has established its REDD+ financial mechanism and the plan for implementation.
"The Joint Declaration of Intent has been a fruitful cooperation to halt deforestation and the announcement of a USD 10 million new transfer will support the implementation of our national climate emergency goals", said Ruben Ramirez Mateo, Peruvian Minister for the Environment.
Peruvian President Pedro Castillo recently announced that his government will declare a national climate emergency, as a sign of commitment to the global effort against global warming and ratified the commitment to make Peru a carbon neutral country by 2050 and reduce GHG to 40 percent by 2030.
"We are delighted with the progress made so far under the JDI and the recognition of the role of indigenous peoples and local communities in sustainable forest management. Peru is an important partner in preserving forests and nature and this is a priority for our presidency of COP26", said Lord Goldsmith, UK’s Minister for Pacific and the Environment at the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs .
Peru holds the fourth largest tropical forest in the world, an area almost twice the size of Germany. Although the Peruvian forests are giant carbon stocks, they are facing a barrage of threats. Over the past years Peru has taken important steps to reduce emissions from the forest- and land-use sector, including through expanding protected areas and indigenous reserves, and taking strong action against illegal logging and mining in the Amazon.
"I commend Peru for the critical achievements made so far in our joint partnership, and also for President Castillo’s government’s recognition of the important role that indigenous peoples and local communities play in protecting biodiversity and climate. This comes at the right time. I look forward to continue our important collaboration to continue working towards reduced deforestation in the Peruvian Amazon" said Svenja Schulze, German Federal Minister for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety.
The German government has already committed a total of EUR 210 million to projects that are linked to the achievement of the objectives of the Joint Declaration of Intent (JDI) between the five countries. A large part of the commitments has already been delivered. As a long-time partner of Peru, Germany will continue its support of the JDI and stands ready to further develop the already significant cooperation with Peru.
Espen Barth Eide, Norway's Minister for Climate and Environment, emphasized that "President Castillo demonstrates a solid commitment to fight climate change and protect Peru's forests and biodiversity. We are delighted to support Peru in its efforts to halt forest loss by 2030 together with Germany, UK and the US".
As part of the climate and forest partnership with Norway , Germany, the UK and the US, Peru receives the USD 10 million for achieved policy milestones in the period 2018-2020. The payment will be made when the partners have agreed on the financial mechanism and on the updated implementation plan for the JDI. The announced payment is part of Norway's total pledge of NOK 1800 million - more than USD 200 million, of which the major part is payment for emission reductions from reduced deforestation. The funding will go towards the implementation of the action plan that has been defined under the partnership and will contribute to Peru's work to reduce deforestation and promote sustainable livelihoods for indigenous peoples and local communities in the Amazon.
"USAID is pleased to work with Peru, NOR, GER and the UK, and our Indigenous community partners to decrease emissions and conserve the Amazon Rainforest as part of this important, international alliance. Indigenous communities are our best partners in the Amazon as we all work together to combat climate change" said Jene Thomas, USAID Mission Director in Peru.
Up to date under the partnership 1,9 million hectares of forests have been granted to indigenous peoples. In addition, last July Peru established the Yavarí Tapiche reserve for and the Kakataibo Norte y Sur reserve uncontacted and vulnerable indigenous groups, covering an area of more than one million hectares, equivalent to the size of Jamaica. Moreover, Peru has set out an ambitious programme to provide indigenous communities with opportunities to carry out productive activities through conditional cash-transfer for forest conservation.
Important results
Over the last years, Peru has taken important steps to reduce deforestation and tackle the climate crisis. Some important examples are:
(I) Peru established the Yavarí Tapiche reserve for uncontacted and vulnerable indigenous groups deep in the Amazon rainforest. The area expands to approximately 1,100,000 hectares, equivalent to the size of Jamaica.
(II) Peru established a new, stunning national park in 2015 in Peru's Amazon forest and along the border with Brazil - Sierra del Divisor. This national park spans 1,300,000 hectares of largely primary forest, and contains unique wildlife habitat and uncontacted indigenous communities.
(III) Peru, through its National Program of Forest Conservation , has entered into forest conservation agreements with indigenous communities covering 2,900,000 hectares.
(IV) Peru has granted forest titles to indigenous communities covering more than 1,900,000 hectares. Indigenous peoples play an important role in protecting Peru's forests and play an active role in implementing the Joint Declaration of Intent.
(V) Peru has granted rights to more than 5,600,000 hectares of forests through the establishment of new natural protected areas and regional conservation areas. Peru also made progress in establishing a public cadastral system for land titles, and in implementing policies on zoning, land-use planning, forest management and allocation of rights to forest resources.
(VI) Peru increased its ambition to reduce emissions under the Paris Agreement in December 2020 (PDF external, 60 MB, in Spanish) .