Federal Public Ministry of Brazil (MPF) filed a lawsuit November 19 calling for the suspension of carbon projects in Amazonas state, in the Amazon rainforest, arguing that the administration has failed to consult traditional communities living in the areas.

file a recommendation followed in the same line that has been ignored by the state government, which plans to grant carbon credit projects in 21 state conservation units – totaling 12.4 million hectares (30.6 million acres) – to five private companies.

These corporations would generate the credits by protecting areas that might otherwise be cleared, in a system known as REDD+, short for reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation.

One of these companies is Carbonext, which participated in the Fortaleza Ituxi, Unitor and Evergreen projects, targeted by a probe in June. Ricardo Stoppe, the owner of the projects and the leader of the criminal organization, was arrested along with four others.

The case was first reported in May by Mongabay, which published an investigation showing the links between Stoppe’s group and a major illegal logging scheme. On this occasion, the company told Mongabay that it is not involved in the forest management carried out in the area.

The Federal Police did not target Carbonext, responsible for estimating the project’s deforestation baselines and running all the bureaucracy around the registers and audits.

“At least one of the companies ‘pre-selected’ by the Amazonas Environment Secretariat in the tender to work in the state’s conservation units (Carbonext) was also involved in the aforementioned Federal Police operation,” the lawsuit states. “This scenario of irregularities citing the company was already reported in the media months before the operation,” prosecutors added, citing the Mongabay investigation.

Among the areas to be granted by the Amazonas administration is the Reserve for Sustainable Development (RDS) Mamirauá, which overlaps with four indigenous territories: Acapuri de Cima, Uati-Paraná, Jaquiri and Porto Praia.

According to the testimonies heard by the prosecutors, representatives of private companies are already entering the territories and causing conflicts and divisions within the communities.

In an email sent to Mongabay, the Amazonas administration stated that the nocarbon project has been initiated so far because they are still in the consultation phase. According to the state government, the initiatives will be executed only “if they strictly follow what is decided by the community and the parameters set in the public notice”. Read the full statement Here.

Banner image: Blackwater Oxbow Lake in the Peruvian Amazon. Image by Rhett A. Butler/Mongabay.

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