The Brazilian government has committed 3.1 billion reais ($617.5 million) to foster ecological investment in the Amazon region, as part of an expanded federal programme called Eco Invest. The initiative, announced during last year's COP30 climate summit hosted by Brazil, aims to support businesses involved in sustainable tourism, infrastructure improvements, and the bioeconomy — economic activity based on natural resources that preserves the forest.
The programme uses a blended finance model, where the National Treasury lends funds to banks at an annual rate of 1%. In return, banks must mobilise at least four times that amount in private investment, with foreign investors accounting for at least 60%. So far, Eco Invest has committed 140 billion reais ($28 billion) in combined public and private resources.
In the latest auction, the National Treasury allocated 3.1 billion reais, and eight banks committed an additional 10.1 billion reais ($2 billion), according to the Ministry of Environment. Carina Pimenta, national secretary for the bioeconomy, said the credit could support cooperatives producing Amazon products like acai and Brazil nuts, as well as tourism infrastructure in conservation areas.
Environment Minister João Paulo Capobianco stated that Eco Invest supports Brazil's path to net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 by creating financial incentives for economic activities that do not rely on deforestation. He noted that Brazil has reduced forest loss since 2023 without compromising agricultural productivity.
The investment announcement comes after a week of setbacks for Brazil's environmental policy. The lower house of Congress approved fast-tracked bills that weaken enforcement against environmental crimes, including one that hinders action against illegal deforestation based solely on satellite monitoring. The Climate Observatory, a network of environmental NGOs, warned that these measures reduce the state's ability to tackle climate impacts. Capobianco said Brazil remains committed to its climate pledges despite congressional doubts.
