As COVID-19 has swept across the globe it is clear that we are confronting not just a worldwide health pandemic, but also a deepening economic crisis. While the financial impact of COVID-19 is in the early stages of taking root across the tropics, in Peru, GCF Task Force Governors are keenly aware that we must move quickly to prevent the worsening economic crisis to from transforming into a deforestation crisis.
Impoverished rural communities are particularly vulnerable as they confront limited access to health services and social safety nets. For many facing financial hardship, the most accessible alternative may require clearing forests to generate income and enhance food security. In an effort to mitigate future deforestation driven by the current economic crisis imposed by the pandemic, Mecanismos Desarrollos Alternos and GCF Task Force members in Peru have proposed an action plan for advancing sustainable development in the region during this emergency.
The document, titled “Resilient Amazon: From Emergency to Sustainable Development,” is a statement of leadership from subnational governments in the Peruvian Amazon who are committing to take actions necessary to improve economic conditions and keep forests standing. It will serve as a basis for discussion this week with regional and municipal authorities, civil society and academia leading the way to sustainable development.
Click here to open Resilient Amazon: From Emergency to Sustainable Development.