2019 LATIN AMERICA ANNUAL REPORT Our Path Forward PROTECT OCEAN, LAND and WATER
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2019 LATIN AMERICA ANNUAL REPORT Our Path Forward PROTECT OCEAN, LAND AND WATER ATLANTIC Gulf of Mexico MEXICO OCEAN BELIZE A Force HONDURAS Caribbean Sea GUATEMALA NICARAGUA EL SALVADOR for Nature COSTA RICA PANAMA COLOMBIA ECUADOR It is the home of jaguars and sloths, pink river dolphins and LATIN AMERICA IS humpback whales, condors and macaws, and every year hosts THE WORLD’S MOST PACIFIC OCEAN millions of migratory birds. With a third of the world’s fresh water, BIODIVERSE REGION. more than a quarter of the Earth’s forests and arable land, the second largest reef on the planet and 40% of the world’s species, PERU Latin America is a biodiversity superpower. 16% BRAZIL OF EARTH’S LAND SURFACE BOLIVIA As we accelerate toward a world of 10 billion people, Latin America will play a pivotal role in meeting unprecedented global demand 40% CHILE PARAGUAY for food, water and energy. OF ALL SPECIES The Nature Conservancy (TNC) has been active in Latin America Across Latin America, three priorities unite us: for 40 years. We have worked in 17 countries—from Mexico’s Baja 25% protecting ocean, land and water, tackling climate California to Argentina’s Patagonia—using scientific expertise, OF ALL FORESTS change, and providing food and water sustainably. ARGENTINA URUGUAY pragmatic approaches and partnerships with local communities, Indigenous peoples, businesses and governments to help steward the continent’s spectacular natural heritage and transform the 30% way people use and value nature. OF ALL FRESH WATER Together with our partners, we are addressing our planet’s biggest CONTENTS challenges: protecting ocean, land and water; tackling climate change; and providing food and water sustainably. TNC’s work in 4 Protect Ocean, Land and Water Latin America is combining the power of nature and the ingenuity Protecting Our Heritage, Safeguarding Our Future of people to create a sustainable future for our planet. 14 Tackle Climate Change Nature’s Path to a Stable Climate COVER: In Guatemala’s highlands, grower Julia Martin holds freshly picked 24 Provide Food and Water Sustainably coffee, one of the most vulnerable crops in face of a changing climate. TNC is Nourishing Our World, Saving Our Planet helping reverse the devastating impacts on coffee producers through improved 42 Future Forward production methods. © Melissa Ballarin & Daniel López Pérez The Latin America Conservation Council (LACC) is a group of global leaders, leveraging their collective OUR PATH influence, expertise and resources to make Latin America a model of conservation with development. Since 2011, the Council and TNC have prototyped nature-based solutions to three of the region’s FORWARD greatest challenges for nature and people: Water Security, Sustainable Food & Smart Infrastructure. Our innovation pipeline created a track record of Executive Vice President for Global Innovation results and demand for scale. LACC Champions are now helping to launch our 2030 Iconic Places Managing Director for the Latin America Region Campaign to show how investing in nature delivers The Nature Conservancy a triple benefit—helping countries to reach their national biodiversity, climate, and sustainable development goals. PHOTOS, LEFT TO RIGHT: From the Andes Mountains and Patagonian grasslands, © Victor Alzate; © Nicolas Marcaida to the Amazon rainforest and Mesoamerican Reef, Latin America is home to irreplaceable biodiversity. critical for addressing the current 2020 pandemic, The region holds 40% of the Earth’s species, one- as well as for guiding the public policies, investments DEFINING OUR LEGACY quarter of all forests, and one-third of all fresh water. and behavior change needed to “flatten the curve.” Stewarding this natural legacy is our mission: to This same roadmap can be used to accelerate science- Co-Chairs, Latin America Conservation Council protect the land and water on which all life depends. based conservation action to address the planetary threats of the climate crisis and mass extinctions. For the past ten years, the Latin America Throughout the first decade, the LACC and We’re pleased to share our progress in 2019, working This is our path forward in 2020. Beginning in iconic Conservation Council (LACC) has proudly TNC focused on making the case for nature- with public and private partners like you. Together places imbued with natural, economic and cultural partnered with The Nature Conservancy based solutions through prototypes that we are demonstrating that protecting and restoring significance, we aim to transform at-risk hotspots to make the case for conservation and demonstrated notable success across the nature is vital to providing food and water for a growing like the Amazon, the Mayan Forest, the Humboldt development, by documenting its numerous region. As you can see in this report, the global population, estimated to reach 10 billion by Current, the Mesoamerican Reef, and others into co-benefits. Protecting watersheds upstream role of nature in sustainable socio-economic 2050. For example, cattle ranching—the single lighthouses of biodiversity protection and low-carbon, reduces treatment costs downstream. This development is clear. Our focus now is largest cause of deforestation—can be combined sustainable development that inspire the rest of the economic argument has led water-intensive doubling down on jurisdictional approaches with conservation to increase herd sizes without region and the world. industries and water utilities to invest in (through iconic landscapes) where working destroying forests and grasslands. In Argentina, source water protection (via Water Funds) with government and local organizations Brazil, Colombia, Mexico and Nicaragua, ranchers Throughout this report you will see evidence of how in 25 of the region’s largest cities, enhancing can help achieve scale fast and expand our are planting trees and forage which improve the new bio-economies and market approaches that water security and climate resilience for impacts rapidly. health of herds, while creating space for wildlife. integrate natural capital into sustainable development over 80 million people. Similarly, protecting Better animal welfare increases beef and milk output, work. Our focus for the next decade is to mainstream forests, grasslands, and reefs fosters high- Together, we can catalyze the collective which, in turn, improves local livelihoods. Adding these solutions at scale, in order to stop the rate of yield, low-carbon food production that action and transformational investments rotational grazing enriches soil health, increasing landscape and seascape degradation in the region has attracted early adopters in rural and required to create lighthouses of conservation water and carbon capture which contributes to and scale up new models of sustainable development indigenous communities, as well as high- and development in Latin America’s most climate change mitigation and resilience. In short, that deliver benefits for the communities, the profile traders trying to implement iconic places. This is the legacy we want for harnessing the regenerative power of nature through environment and economy as a whole. deforestation-free pledges. our children and grandchildren. science-based conservation techniques makes food production more efficient and sustainable. Stories As supporters of our work, you are the vanguard The challenge of our time is to move beyond like these fill the following pages. of this transformative path forward for protecting the these demonstration projects to mainstream lands and waters on which all life depends. strategic conservation as a political and Conservation protects biodiversity and strengthens economic priority—for enhancing food Sergio Rial Juan Pablo del Valle the “services” nature provides—including food, and water security, and for delivering on water, and climate. In this sense, the science of each company’s, and each country’s existing conservation is key to managing Earth’s natural biodiversity, climate, and sustainable resources. The need for strong science has been Santiago Gowland development commitments. 2 // 2019 LATIN AMERICA ANNUAL REPORT // 3 PROTECT OCEAN, LAND AND WATER Protecting Our Heritage, Safeguarding Our Future Protecting nature in Latin America and ensuring plentiful water, food and energy for the region are not conflicting goals. Nature and human development are both central factors in the same equation. Modern conservation is about finding innovative ways so that both can thrive. From the dazzling blue waters of Mexico’s Baja California to the towering, ancient forests of Chile’s Valdivian coasts, TNC is transforming how lands and waters are used and conserved for the benefit of people and wildlife. Building on the 60-year land protection legacy for which TNC is known, we partner with indigenous people and local communities to strengthen their rights and roles as The sea has been my livelihood. environmental stewards. We engage corporations and governments to ensure infrastructure investments flow It has fed my family. Now I am to projects that meet environmental, economic and giving something in return. community objectives. We spur forward-thinking policies that amplify the scale and speed of conservation. FABIÁN GONZÁLEZ COTA FISHERMAN FROM THE AGUA VERDE COMMUNITY Protecting nature is our heritage; it is also the only way to GULF OF CALIFORNIA, MEXICO ensure our future. 4 // 2019 LATIN AMERICA ANNUAL REPORT PROTECT OCEAN, LAND AND WATER Keepers of the Amazon Nearly the size of the continental