Every year we hold a closing event where we share the progress of our work, the achievements made, and the alliances forged between conservation and the business sector. This year, the focus was on exploring financing for the protection of the Amazon forest from the private sector.
Why do we gather?
The worrying rates of deforestation and the recent fires in the Amazon have kept us alert, which is why the involvement of as many people as possible is important. Gathered in the BBVA auditorium in San Isidro, experts and representatives from the business world gathered to address sustainable conservation strategies. We call this event “Opportunities for the private sector in the conservation of the Amazon forest – Challenges for its sustainable financing.”
We have been in contact with the private sector for almost 5 years with the mission of conserving our Amazon. And inciting dialogue about the importance of that is essential to continue working together in this valuable work.
We are not alone in this job
The event was sponsored by key allies such as the BBVA Foundation, Grupo AJE, BanBif, Caja Cusco, Hoteles Ananay and GoNetWork. In addition, it had a panel of experts led by Dr. Marc Dourojeanni, renowned conservationist and recent winner of the international Thomas Lovejoy award. Dourojeanni addressed the need to promote sustainable financing as a tool to stop deforestation and its effects.
Tatiana Espinosa, director of Arbio, highlighted the importance of innovative financing mechanisms to support conservation initiatives outside Protected Natural Areas. She presented the National Voluntary and Communal Conservation Network “Amazonía que Late”, which brings together more than 180 initiatives that voluntarily protect two million hectares in Peru. “If conservation is going to be financed, it must be with those who are already committed on the ground,” she stressed.
Likewise, we explained and presented our Conservation Platforms, a pioneering model with which we seek to integrate the private sector in the protection of key ecosystems. This approach reinforces the need to prioritize sustainable businesses that protect the essential services provided by forests, considered irreplaceable.
The panel also included María Elena Gutiérrez, climate change expert and director of ACCA; Rita Vilca, director of AMPA; and Jorge López Dóriga, Director of Communications and Sustainability of the AJE Group. Together they highlighted the urgency of coordinated work between companies, communities and citizens to guarantee the future of the Amazon forest and combat the climate crisis.
Conservation and business sector
The event highlights the urgent need to work together to guarantee the conservation of the Amazon forest and, thereby, combat the global climate crisis. The integration of the private sector in the conservation of the Amazon is a fundamental step towards the creation of innovative and effective solutions that help stop deforestation and protect one of the most valuable and vulnerable ecosystems on the planet.
As actions to protect the Amazon continue to gain relevance, initiatives such as those promoted by Arbio show that it is possible to generate positive change. These types of events highlight the relevance of sustainable financing and the commitment of all sectors of society to safeguard this vital ecosystem, whose conservation is essential for global well-being.