The objective is to finance innovative projects on tropical forests, including the Amazonia, to promote sustainability and development involving indigenous and local communities.
The G20 Research and Innovation Working Group, chaired by the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MCTI), launched the collaborative research call entitled 'Tropical Forests: Global Implications and Urgent Actions.' The call for proposals, a result of a partnership between the Belmont Forum and the G20, is open for submissions until November 12th of this year.
The Belmont Forum is a partnership of funding organizations, international scientific councils, and regional consortia committed to the advancement of transdisciplinary science. The partnership's objective is to finance innovative research projects focused on Tropical Forests, including the Amazonia, and sustainability, as explained by Carlos Matsumoto, head of the MCTI's (Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation) Special Advisory on International Affairs. "This action is a concrete contribution, in which the G20 countries and participating guests will invest resources in specific projects, fostering research and innovation in the environmental, social, and economic dimensions of sustainable development," he says.
The call launched to fund proposals from the research community, is supported by 19 funding agencies, including ten state research foundations in Brasil. "The partnership with the Belmont Forum is one of the priorities to promote research and innovation aimed at a sustainable Amazonia," says Matsumoto.
Nicole Arbour, executive director of the Belmont Forum, explains that the theme was chosen based on the priorities of the forum members. "Tropical forests are a clear global interest. We identified this priority, and many members agreed that it was also a priority for them," she said.
The call focuses on the Amazonia, Congo (in Africa) and Borneo-Mekong (in Southeast Asia) basins, using a transdisciplinary approach aimed at reducing deforestation, promoting sustainable development, and strengthening local economies. Areas of focus include ecosystem functions, connectivity, climate science, as well as environmental justice and governance.
Nicole Arbour emphasizes that the call for proposals will allow the financing of concrete projects, with the participation of G20 countries and other guests. "It will be a global inclusive call aimed at engaging these tropical basins and better understanding in different parts of the world how they interact with very close ecosystems," she said. Arbour also highlights the importance of engaging indigenous and local communities, who rely on forests for their livelihoods and are integral to these ecosystems.
