Petrobras Magazine

The third public selection of projects of the Petrobras Environmental Program was carried out in 2008 with the theme “Water and Climate: Contributions for Sustainable Development.” The company received 892 entries from service organizations from all over Brazil. Now the results have been released.

“A total of 47 projects from all the regions of the country were selected related to the three lines of action of the program, which are the management of superficial and subterranean water resources; the recovery or the conservation of coastal sea and freshwater species and environments; and the capture of carbon dioxide and the prevention of greenhouse gas emissions. The funds destined to the selected projects will total R$ 60 million,” explains Rosane Aguiar, sector manager of Petrobras’ Environmental Programs

Of the projects selected, it is worth highlighting, in the Central-West region, the one entitled The Implementation of a Center of Reference for Water Reuse, which will make possible research on water reuse, the dissemination of the knowledge gained, and the realization of extension activities, conducted by the Friends of the Lagoon group, in Cuiabá, Mato Grosso. The objective is to minimize the environmental impacts on water bodies in the region, through the reuse of effluents.

Also in Mato Grosso, the project The Conservation and Management of the Tracajá in the Xingu National Park will deal with the recovery and sustainable management of the chelonian turtles in the park and the implementation of actions which will make possible the subsistence of the local indigenous community. The project is conducted by the Funcredi Foundation for Support of Scientific and Technological Research.

In the Northeast region, in the state of Bahia, the project Reforestation of the Caatinga Biome with Agropastoral and Extractivist Communities will play an important role. It will contribute to reversing the desertification process in the “caatinga” region, by means of the sustainable management of natural resources and of reforestation in agropastoral and extractivist communities. The Regional Institute for Appropriate Small Farming and Animal Husbandry is in charge of the implementation of the project.

Also in Bahia, the Long Live the Mangrove Project, by means of the planting and cultivation of 20,000 mangrove seedlings and by the technical ability of members of the community to act as multipliers, will seek to recover about 10,000 m² of marshland in the Iguape Bay Extractive Reserve. The project is under the responsibility of the “Grandma” of the Mangrove Foundation.

In the state of Ceará, the project Algae: Cultivating Sustainability will have as its objective the promotion of the conservation and recuperation of the marine coastal reefs, with an emphasis on the natural algae banks of the Flecheiras-Trairi community, as well as foreseeing the sustainable management of these algae by local communities and the consequent improvement in their quality of life. The Land-and-Sea Research and Fishing Assistance Institute is in charge of this project.

Still in the Northeast, the project Shark Research and Environmental Education in Pernambuco will provide beachgoers in the state, where sharks are frequently sighted, with more knowledge on the behavior of sharks close to shore. The project is the responsibility of the Pernambuco Oceanic Institute of Research and Environmental Preservation.

In the North region, the project Aquatic Mammals in the Amazon: Conservation and Research is dedicated to the registration of information on aquatic mammals in the Amazon, such as manatees and river dolphins; the recuperation and conservation of the species; and the transmission of this knowledge to the riverside communities, so as to minimize predatory fishing. The Friends of the Manatee Association is in charge of the project.

In the Southeast region, in Minas Gerais, the project Atlantic Rainforest Seedling Bank, by means of the creation and maintenance of a seedling bank and restoration of rural areas, will contribute to the restoration of the forest in the hydrographic basins of the Peixe and Camanducaia rivers. The project, conducted by the Copaíba Project Environmentalist Association, also foresees educating the community in preserving the environment.

In the state of Espirito Santo, the project Water and Land: a Source of Life will make possible the rational and sustainable use of water for the production of agro ecological foodstuffs for families settled on the land by the agrarian reform program and will ensure environmental education for these families. The Pastoral Commission of the Land is responsible for the project.

In the South, in Rio Grande do Sul, the project The Recuperation of Degraded Areas in the Maquiné River Sub-Basin foresees the recuperation of degraded areas in the sub-basin, which supplies dozens of springs and provides a habitat for rare species in extinction in the Serra Geral Biological Reserve. The project is being handled by the Maquiné Spring Action group.

Also, in Santa Catarina, the project Animal Refuge – Recuperation and Conservation Center will strive for the recuperation of the otters introduced into the South Florianópolis Island Conservation Units, and the expansion of responsible tourism in the region. The project is conducted by the Ekko Brasil Institute.

The projects selected, independent of their line of action, should contribute to environmental education and promote energy efficiency, the conservation of natural resources, and responsible consumption.

Once again, Petrobras renews its commitment to the environment, “Thanks to environmental education and the involvement of the communities and our partners, the Petrobras Environmental Program is closer to achieving its objective – to contribute to the sustainable development of Brazil,” concludes Rosane Aguiar. And what more could one ask if not the alliance of economic development with environmental and social protection, without affecting the needs of current and future generations?