Brazil: Green Jobs in the forestry sector

ILO activities in Brazil focus on the creation of green jobs in the forestry sector. Technical support on green jobs started in 2009 with the promotion of solar heating systems in the social housing programme “minha casa, minha vida”.

The ILO has been working with federal and state capacity in the fight against forced labour and the promotion of green jobs. Under the Flemish funded project, Ending Forced Labour, Generating Green Jobs: an approach for the promotion of social inclusiveness and sustainable development in Brazil (2011-2013), the ILO developed an approach that combines both the reinforcement of labour inspection with the identification of alternative employment opportunities i.e. green jobs. The ILO Global Product Green Jobs project (2012-2014) funded by Norway, built on this experience and extended the approach to other areas and States.

In 2015, the ILO has started to implement, in partnership with the Ministry of Environment, the project "South-South cooperation for sustainable development through decent work and social protection" focused in PES (Payment for Environmental Services) programmes, in order to find alternatives to create employment and income for families living in protected areas in the Amazon region. This South-South cooperation initiative aims to create a pan-amazonian network between all the countries of the region to ensure environmental conservation and social protection for the people who live there. 

Technical support in Brazil dates back to 2009 when the Programme assisted in the social housing programme “minha casa, minha vida” (my home, my life), promoting solar heating systems. The same year, the ILO conducted in cooperation with national institutions a national assessment on green jobs, estimating the potential for green jobs creation in the various economic sectors.