18 Dec 2006
- Asunción, Paraguay The government of Paraguay
has extended a law that seeks to curb deforestation rates
in the Upper Parana Atlantic Forest.
The "Zero Deforestation Law"
which came into force in December 2004 and would have
expired at end 2006 has been extended by two years.
To date, the law has helped cut deforestation rates in
the Upper Parana Atlantic Forest by more than 85 per cent,
from 88,000170,000ha annually before implementation of
the law, to a current level of approximately 16,700ha
annually.
Before the law came into force, Paraguay
had the second highest deforestation rate in the world.
The Upper Parana Atlantic Forest is
part of the Atlantic Forest, one of the worlds most ecologically
important regions. It is known for its rich biodiversity
and high level of species endemism over 90 per cent
of all amphibians and 50 per cent of all plants here are
found nowhere else on Earth.
But the forest is also one of the worlds
most endangered tropical forests. In many areas over 95
per cent of the natural forest has been lost as a result
of agriculture expansion, especially for soy production
and cattle ranching.
A WWF report indicates that Paraguay
does not need to cut down more forest to continue agriculture
production, especially for soy and livestock. According
to the report, more than 500,000ha of fallow land are
available in the Paraguayan Atlantic forest for farming,
ranching or reforestation. Ranching and agriculture have
already invaded extremely fragile forest lands, which
due to the soil qualities, are suitable only for forest
regrowth. Although very degraded and fragmented, these
forests are still significant for conservation, particularly
in restoring green corridors.
Data from Oil World indicates that the
deforestation law has not affected soy production in Paraguay,
the world's fourth largest soybean exporter. Production
has actually increased in spite of the law. In the 200405
season, production was 3.9 million tons, up from 3.5 million
tons in the 200304 season. For the 200506 season, production
is likely to be 4.2 million tons.
In August, WWF awarded the Paraguayan
government with the Leaders for the Living Planet Award
in recognition of its efforts in conserving the Upper
Parana Atlantic Forest. It also urged the government to
extend the Zero Deforestation Law until measures for responsible
soy cultivation and sustainable forest management are
developed together with a commitment to restore priority
forest areas. The law extension had faced opposition from
the farming lobby and loggers.
"Decades of deforestation merit
more than the two-year extension," said Lucy Aquino,
Coordinator of WWF's Paraguay Atlantic Forest Ecoregional
Office.
"Still, we are happy with the two
years as it will give us the opportunity to implement
economic alternatives, reforestation programmes and sustainable
management of forests, and to strengthen institutions
that administer the forest resources."
WWF will also work with the agencies
and organizations concerned to implement the "Tradable
Rights Mechanism" over the next two years. This mechanism
will continue to ensure that those landowners who protect
their forests according to the current legislation will
receive benefits, while those who remove or degrade their
forests will face prosecution.
The Zero Deforestation Law (Law number
2524/4) was approved by the Paraguayan National Congress
on 4 November 2004. It is aimed at assuring the conservation
and recuperation of the Upper Parana Atlantic Forest.
The law resulted in a series of procedures and penalties
for those committing environmental crime by deforestation.
On 31 August 2006, Paraguay's House
of Representatives presented the proposal for the extension
of the Zero Deforestation Law to the Senate where it remained
under consideration until 13 December 13, when it was
passed and returned to the House of Representatives for
final consideration and passage into law.
Lucy Aquino, Coordinator
WWF Paraguay Atlantic Forest Ecoregional Office
