At the Bioeconomy Forum, Amazonian industry presents contributions to the sector.

Connections and pathways to strengthen the bioeconomy in Pará and decarbonize development were highlighted in the program held this Tuesday, the 11th, at the Amazon Bioeconomy and Innovation Park, located in Porto Futuro II in Belém. At the Forum, the COP+ Journey, a multi-sectoral movement led by the Federation of Industries of the State of Pará (FIEPA), delivered to the State Government the Matrix of Recommendations of the Sociobioeconomy Committee, a result of the work carried out in the movement.

The “Connections for Bioeconomy Forum: Unlocking Pathways to Low-Carbon Development for the Amazon” is an action within the Bioeconomy agenda of the Government of Pará, held in parallel with the Conference of the Parties (COP 30). Pará has positioned itself as a leader in bioeconomy, launching two pioneering initiatives: the State Bioeconomy Plan and the Bioeconomy and Innovation Park.

The COP+ Journey document was prepared by 15 experts after meetings and debates that used the methodology applied in the project. In short, the document proposes structuring sustainable and competitive production chains, using the socio-bioeconomy as a model for innovative and resilient territorial development. The letter is part of the document "Guidelines for a Low-Carbon Industry" and proposes that Pará be the pilot territory for initial actions, with the prospect of replication in other states of the Legal Amazon. Priorities include strengthening technical capacity building, formalizing suppliers, expanding access to credit and tax incentives, and creating accessible traceability and certification systems.

The document presents recommendations for the State's Bioeconomy Plan, PlanBio, highlighting the articulation between the productive sector, governments, academia and civil society; the creation of a social seal to value good practices in small businesses; and the promotion of applied research connected to the real demands of the sector.

The delivery was made by the committee leader, Joanna Martins, who is a businesswoman and specialist in socio-bioeconomy.

“The COP+ Journey was the way FIEPA found to bring the Pará industry closer to the theme of sustainability, and the Socio-bioeconomy Committee was created to bring small industries and traditional communities closer to the industrial sphere. Through this committee, in conversation with the Secretary of the Environment, we understood that the bioeconomy plan did not receive as much input from the private sector, especially from industries. And from there, we initiated this dialogue to understand how we could contribute to improving the plan,” said Martins.

Camille Bemerguy, Deputy Secretary of Bioeconomy for the State of Pará, emphasized how the contributions of the productive sector will be important to improve the PlanBio (Bioeconomy Plan). “Public policy isn't set in stone. The plan was built three years ago, and there are many lessons learned, among them the fact that we need to go back to the field, to listen to the people again. The bioeconomy has already advanced here in the state, but there are still bottlenecks. So, this document will certainly be incorporated so that the State's Bioeconomy Plan becomes even more powerful, transforming our reality,” she stated.

The Forum – The agenda brought together experts, initiatives, and stakeholders working in the bioeconomy chain, highlighting the role of nature-based solutions in the economy of Pará and the Amazon. The event gathered public managers; community leaders and traditional peoples; entrepreneurs and startups; investors and financial institutions; and researchers in thematic panels, launches, case presentations; and roundtables with experts and communities.