Frontiers’ Climate Action boosts biodiversity preservation in Brazil
Frontiers
A ground-breaking sustainability project championed by leading open science publisher, Frontiers, has been designated a Pilot Science Mission for Sustainability at the International Science Council’s (ISC) Muscat Global Knowledge Dialogue today (27 January).
The Pilot Science Missions for Sustainability apply a ‘big science’ approach to sustainability, elevating collaboration between science, policy, and society – the call for Pilot proposals received over 250 expressions of interest from consortia, with less than 1 in 10 succeeding. The successful Instituto Juruá’s Transformative Science for Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable Livelihoods in Amazonia project creates community forest stewardship that helps grow local economies. The project is led by Dr João Campos-Silva, Instituto Juruá’s President, in collaboration with Vice-President Professor Carlos Peres, the inaugural International Champion of the Frontiers Planet Prize – following the Frontiers Planet Prize award, Frontiers in Science published Professor Peres’ widely reported co-authored article on conservation imperatives.
Professor Peres used the Frontiers Planet Prize money of 1 million CHF (US$1.1 million) to extend the Institute’s activities in Brazil’s Amazonas state further and increase the reach of Dr Campos-Silva's project. Beyond providing this critical funding for the project’s expansion, Frontiers activated stakeholders in its climate action programme to amplify the environmental, economic, and social impact of the research.
As part of its commitment to accelerate scientific solutions to counter climate change, Frontiers leveraged its climate action programme and network to bring together ten key partners in a consortium to ensure the project’s grassroots level impact. Multilateral collaboration ranged from policy-making with regional mayors via the Global Covenant of Mayors (GCOM) and International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI) to expediting public-private partnerships via the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and global consultancy KPMG and Deep Matter Labs. Frontiers was also instrumental in preparing the project’s consortia bid to become an ISC Pilot Science Mission for Sustainability. The successful bid means the project will now pilot across the whole Amazon basin, with the potential to become a replicable example worldwide of how to involve communities in scientific biodiversity projects that also sustain and support local economies.
On the announcement of the Science Missions at the ISC Muscat Global Knowledge Dialogue in Oman today, Professor Peres said:
"This is a unique opportunity to strengthen an evidence-based model that blends innovative science with traditional knowledge in the Amazon. By improving local quality of life while preserving the forest, we can showcase a positive example of how local communities can sustainably manage their environment, fostering optimism and hope for the future."
Frontiers CEO, Dr Kamila Markram, commented:
“The Instituto Juruá project exemplifies both the mission of the Frontiers Planet Prize and the potential of open science to work hand-in-hand with communities and scientists, making real impact on the ground by supporting ecosystems and economies in a way that is sustainable, shareable and replicable. We could not be more delighted by this announcement and the continued success of João’s and Carlos’ team. I send them the warmest congratulations from everyone at Frontiers.”
The International Science Council’s CEO, Dr Salvatore Aricò, remarked:
“The Instituto Juruá project epitomizes the essence of what the ISC Science Missions initiative seeks to achieve: transformative, collaborative science that bridges local knowledge with global action. By integrating innovative research with the needs and aspirations of local communities, this initiative demonstrates how science can drive sustainable solutions that benefit both people and the planet.”
Dr Massamba Thioye, Project Executive, UNFCCC Global Innovation Hub, concluded:
“Biodiversity conservation in Amazonia has ecological, economic, cultural, and global climate benefits. Science can play a crucial role in supporting it, providing the knowledge, tools, and strategies needed to understand, protect, and sustainably manage its ecosystems. Using transformative Science for Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable Livelihoods in Amazonia is fully aligned with the UN Climate Change Global Innovation Hub vision: contributing to providing flourishing life to the many people, no one being left behind, while keeping human activities within the planetary boundaries.”
The Instituto Juruá’s Transformative Science for Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable Livelihoods in Amazonia specific goals include:
Empower local communities as conservation agents, promoting forest stewardship and supporting local economies
Establish a polycentric river-basin governance regime
Protect approximately 10 million hectares;
Recover overexploited species with significant commercial and cultural value
Uphold the social rights of Indigenous Peoples and local communities
Strengthen low-carbon bioeconomy initiatives for sustainable income generation
Improve regional infrastructure to enhance access to services
The project’s bid consortia as convened by Frontiers include:
Swissnex Brazil
KPMG and Dark Matter Labs
ICLEI
The Arista Institute
Senscience
LIFES
GeSI
Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate & Energy
UNFCCC Global Innovation Hub
