IDH receives Carbon Neutral Program seal in recognition of the investments made in Mato Grosso

On World Environment Day, celebrated on June 5th, the state government of Mato Grosso handed out Carbon Neutral MT Program seals, during an event in Cuiabá.

IDH received the Carbon Neutral seal in the Funder category, in recognition of the investments made in actions that contribute towards the State decarbonization agenda. Over the past five years IDH has invested around 9 million euros in Mato Grosso, directly supporting the PCI Strategy and Institute, implementing PCI Regional Compacts, supporting Sema-MT and co-financing field projects with the private sector.

“It is such a pleasure to get such recognition and to be part of the Program. This is an agenda we have supported from the very beginning, as we believe in its results. We know that the State of Mato Grosso has undertaken many projects and we are working together to support this agenda,” said Alex Schmidt, Public Policy Implementation Manager at IDH.

Through its programs, IDH invests in interventions that contribute to the mitigation and adaptation of food production systems to climate change.

Since last year, this agenda has been reinforced in Brazil through the carrying out of climate vulnerability analyses of the territories where IDH operates, mapping of emission reduction opportunities linked to the goals of the Regional Compacts, calculation of the carbon footprint in technical assistance projects and direct support to the State of Mato Grosso in conducting its jurisdictional REDD+ agenda.

“This is all linked to IDH’s global strategy, launched in 2021, which focuses on decarbonizing agricultural commodity production chains and on supporting partner jurisdictions on the forest carbon agenda,” explained Marcela Paranhos, IDH’s global finance and carbon manager.

The Carbon Neutral MT seal acknowledges the initiatives of individuals and companies that have contributed towards Mato Grosso’s goal of neutralizing carbon emissions by 2035 through promoting sustainable development.

The Secretary of State for the Environment, Mauren Lazzaretti, commented on the importance of securing funding so that this commitment can be achieved. “The funder’s role is strategic. That is why it is so important for us to have had IDH present since the beginning of the PCI Strategy, which is the big umbrella of the Carbon Neutral Program MT”, she stated.