Below, please find the non-technical summary of the ESDD carried out in Greater Tumucumaque.
Background
The Greater Tumucumaque program is implemented by the Institute for Indigenous Research and Training (Iepé) and the Institute of Man and the Environment of the Amazon (Imazon). The program is structured around the engagement of protected areas or so-called “conservation units” and “Indigenous lands”, in a mosaic of protected areas, through support for the implementation of conservation units’ management plans and territorial and environmental management plans for Indigenous lands (PGTAs).
The program area includes two conservation units, Maicuru State Biological Reserve and Grão Para State Ecological Station, and three Indigenous lands, Tumucumaque Park, Rio Paru d’Este, and Zo’é, totaling an area of 103,336,47 km².
Environmental and social due diligence (ESDD) was carried out by MFC Social and Environmental Performance Ltd. (MFC) from January to July 2023 for Legacy Landscapes Fund (LLF) in the Greater Tumucumaque landscape, Brazil. For further details on the Greater Tumucumaque legacy landscape (LL), please consult the program page.
Methodology
The due diligence process included a document review, remote interviews, and an on-site visit by two national experts at the end of March 2023, where key stakeholders, including Funai, IdeflorBio, and representatives of Indigenous associations such as Apiwa andApitikatxi were interviewed in person. Iepé and Imazon provided continuous input and feedback during the ESDD, including hosting workshops to finalize the gap analysis and risk assessment.
Main Environmental and Social Risks and Impacts
The program’s most significant risks are linked to a lack of policies and tools, including on occupational and community health and safety, to assess and manage environmental and social (ES) risks and impacts. As a result, ES risks and impacts may not be managed systematically, creating safety risks for the program team and stakeholders. The program’s work on conservation of biodiversity and sustainable management of natural resources lacks basic studies and risk assessments on the introduction of alien species and agricultural projects.
The program faces legacy and contextual risks related to illegal activities in the program area such as logging and mining, the ongoing threat against Indigenous rights and historical violence against, criminalization of, and persecution of Indigenous Peoples, particularly Indigenous activists and community leaders.
ESDD Categorization
The Greater Tumucumaque LL has been classified as a category B+ (substantial risk) program by the ESDD carried out by MFC. Funded program activities were categorized as B (moderate) and contextual risks were classified as B+ (substantial), resulting in the overall program risk B+.
Foreseen Mitigation Measures as per ESAP
Greater Tumucumaque’s environmental and social action plan (ESAP) is focused on improving the program’s ES risk assessment and management. The program has set an ambitious target to implement the ESAP in the first year of implementation. Some of the ESAP’s key measures include the hiring of an ES manager, the development of a program ES management system that contains specific plans and policies, the creation of a grievance mechanism, and the construction of a stakeholder engagement plan, including specific assessments for vulnerable groups.
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