Brazil – Emergency Fire Prevention and Control Project C: Project Description Summary
Brazil
Emergency Fire Prevention and Control Project C: Project Description Summary
1. Project components (see Annex 2 for a detailed description and Annex 3 for a detailed cost breakdown):
Component
Category
Total Cost* (US $ M)
% of Total*
Bank-financing*
(US $ M)
% of Bank-financing
(1) Risk Assessment and Monitoring of Critical Areas Technical Assistance 0.5
3
0.5
100
(2) Forest Fire Prevention Technical Assistance 7.0
43
5.5
80
(3) Forest Fire Suppression Technical Assistance & Institutional Strengthening 8.6
43
5.8
65
(4) Project Coordination, Monitoring and Evaluation, and Studies Project Management 2.2
11
2.0
90
Unallocated Technical Assistance 1.7 8
1.2
70
Total
20.0 100
15.0
75
* For proposed Loan only excludes support from RFT/PPG-7 ($2.0 million)
2. Key policy and institutional reforms supported by the project
As indicated above, the Brazilian government has been moving towards greater control over settlement, and the use of land and natural resources in the Amazon region. The proposed project would add to these efforts by strengthening environmental enforcement, improving monitoring and information flow on deforestation and burning, and raising consciousness locally and nationally concerning the dangers of uncontrolled settlement and use of natural resources. In addition, a Presidential Decree signed July 8,1998 allows SEPRE to declare state of emergency in States and Municipalities within the Amazon region when unique climatic and/or vegetation conditions could arise.
3. Benefits and target population:
The main benefits of this project are expected to be environmental, institutional and social, including:
- Reduced occurrence of large-scale fires and the potential economic and social (health) losses to residents of the Amazon;
- Enhanced protection of the Amazon rain forest and the environmental services it provides;
- Improved knowledge of how to prevent fire escapes in this region;
- Sustainable partnerships among federal, state and civil society organizations in an emergency setting;
- Development of a system of rapid response to fires which cwould be used in future emergencies, including other recurrent natural disasters and accidents.
The direct target populations (and potential benefits) of this project are:
- Rural populations living along the Deforestation Arc (minimization of economic and social losses due to fires);
- Urban population of the Amazon (avoidance of airport closures and reduction/avoidance of respiratory problems; avoidance of water pollution of water supplies);
- State and regional electric power generation and distribution companies and their users (protection of power transmission lines and other infrastructure);
- Society in general (avoidance of biodiversity loss);
- Indigenous peoples (avoidance of habitat, game, and cultural values losses).
- Society in general (avoidance of biodiversity loss);
4. Institutional and implementation arrangements (see Annex 2):
Overall coordination of the project would reside in IBAMA/DIRCOF. IBAMA would provide day-to-day management, supervision, and financial management, and would coordinate links to state and municipal governments, SEPRE, MMA, the Bank, UNDP and other institutions. SEPRE would act as secretariat to the Federal Task Force and coordinate the activities of the CBMDF, the Brazilian Army and the Brazilian Air Force.
IBAMA would set up a Project Coordination Unit (PCU) satisfactory to the Bank with appropriately qualified staff in adequate numbers, drawn from IBAMAs own staff and contracted externally.
Federal Emergency Management
Emergency coordination at a national level is lodged managed by SEPRE. The National Civil Defense Organization (SINDEC), a part of SEPRE, would coordinate a Federal Task Force which includes the Army, Air Force, a Task Force consisting of about 500 fire fighters from the Federal District Military Fire Department (CBMDF) and, if needed, selected State-level fire Departments with specialized training in wildland fires.
State Level Organizations
Each of the seven States in theFire Emergency Task Forces (FETF), one for each State in the Deforestation Arc would establish an Emergency Task Force created by decree by the State Governor, and prepare a State Action Plan, would be established by decree by the State Governor. . A draft decree would be provided by IBAMA to the States in order to expedite this procesThe Federal Civil Defense Agency will provide training in civil defense preparedness to seven State Civil Defense Organizations (CEDECs). The professional fire companies in each State will take on wildfire-fighting responsibilities in their State and will help train and equip municipal fire brigades.
Municipal Level Organizations
The Federal Civil Defense Agency would train and help establish at least 40 State task forces would promote the establishment of Municipal Civil Defense Committees (COMDECs) which would be responsible for developing Municipal Fire Brigades Fire Councilsin selected eachmunicipalities y within the Deforestation Arc chosen on a basis of fire risk,. composed of relevant Municipal officials and NGO representatives, civil society organizations, and the private sector. These councils would serve as the liaison between the individual municipalities and the state task force.
