The Amazon is the largest tropical primary forest on Earth and one of the most biodiverse places. The Amazon also serves as the cornerstone of climate regulation and cultural diversity for the region and the globe. For the past three decades, the Global Environmental Fund has recognized the critical significance of the Amazon and provided unwavering support through pivotal initiatives and funding, most recently demonstrated by the Amazon Sustainable Landscapes Integrated Program (ASL) approved in 2015.
This report celebrates over 10 years of the ASL, which has brought together eight sovereign countries that share this vital ecosystem. The goal of the program and of the governmental coalition is to preserve and main-tain the integrity of the Amazon as a functional system that benefits people and provides critical natural ser-vices at the local, national, regional, and global scales. The GEF has championed ASL as it works toward the preservation of tropical primary forests through their conservation, ecosystem restoration, and sustainable land use with a central focus on engaging Indigenous People and local communities.
Countries, alongside partner agencies, have united to create a shared vision that transcends national borders and advance an integrated approach for the conservation and management of the Amazon eco-system at a regional scale. Country-specific needs drive implementation, while regional coordination and collaboration occur simultaneously to scale-up and enhance the best practices toward safeguarding integrity of the biome.