Representatives of the public, private, and ‘third’ sector have been meeting to discuss how to best turn the biodiversity of the Amazon into the driving economic force of the country. Although it occupies two thirds of the territory of Brazil, the Amazon region contributes only seven percent of Brazil’s annual income. According to the Brazilian environment agency IBAMA, if utilized to its full potential, Amazonian biodiversity could produce an income of R$ 4 trillion, an amount four times greater than the current GNP. The federal government’s National Forests Programme has agreed to offer incentives for ecologically friendly products. In conjunction with this governmental policy, many non-governmental organizations are working throughout the region on projects directed towards promoting sustainable development.
