Yesterday, the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) promoted the planting of 1.6 thousand seedlings, in Anapu (state of Pará), to offset the carbon emissions counted by the Green Cup in 2017. A partnership between CBF, Brazil’s Ministry of the Environment, the Amazon Environmental Research Institute (IPAM), and the Green Initiative, the activity was hosted by the Carbon Free Project (Projeto Carbono Zero), which promotes the recovery of permanent preservation areas within family farming lots.
The Green Cup is a football (soccer) championship started in 2014 and played by 18 teams from the North and Midwest regions of Brazil and the state of Espírito Santo. A series of environmental activities are linked to the event, such as the compensation of greenhouse gases and the disposal of recyclable material.
The event was attended by the Minister of Environment – Mr. Sarney Filho, president of the CBF – Mr. Antônio Nunes, mayor of Anapu (PA) – Mr. Aelton Silva, president of the State Forum of Heads of Municipal Departments of the Environment of the State of Pará – Mrs. Zelma Campos, senior researcher at the Amazon Environmental Research Institute (IPAM) – Mr. Paulo Moutinho, director of the Green Initiative – Mr. Lucas Pereira, representative of the Viver, Produzir e Preservar Foundation – Mr. João Batista, four times soccer world champion with the Brazilian national football tem – Branco, and rural farmers from the region, among other people.
“We work in defense of the environment, and soccer is bringing us together for this cause,” said the president of CBF, Mr. Antônio Nunes. According to Minister Sarney Filho, it is important to empower the people who live in rural areas. “’It is necessary to train them, improve their quality of life and, for this to happen, the ecosystem needs to be protected. I stand for sustainable development”, he said.
This year, thirty families are involved in the project and will recover their permanent preservation areas with the implementation of agroforestry systems. In addition to the environmental benefit, the planting promoted the production of food and other products that could contribute to the generation of income for the local communities.
“Within the model of productive recovery adopted by the project, families are complying with what is determined by the Brazilian Forest Code, by recovering 30 meters on each side of the permanent preservation areas. This is only possible because we have decided to replace a productive system, which is cattle raising, with agroforestry systems that also generate income for families”, explained IPAM regional coordinator, Lucimar Souza.
Seedlings of açaí, pará, buriti, taperebá, cupuaçu, cocoa, urucum, coconut, banana, guava, yellow ipê, purple ipê, cumaru, Brazilian mahogany, and ingó will be planted.
* With information from Marcela Saad (text), special envoy from the Ministry of the Environment to Anapu (PA).
[1] Copa Verde, in Portuguese.