Brazil

Pacto pela Restauração da Mata Atlântica (Atlantic Forest Restoration Pact) is an alliance with the aim of the Atlantic Forest Restoration Pact is to restore 15 million hectares of the forest in Brazil by the year 2050, spread across annual plans approved by its Steering Committee.

TRÊS LAGOAS, June 22, 2010 (PPI Latin America) - The city of Três Lagoas in the Brazilian Midwest has definitely made its mark on the pulp and paper industry map with a project that will make it the largest pulp producer in the world.

Brazilian Valonline reports today that Marcelo Castelli, director at Fibria Cellulose SA with eucalyptus plantings in the city Três Lagoas (In the state Mato Groso de Sul) will maintain the schedule for opening of the second line of factory in 2014.

American conglomerate, General Electric (GE), has chosen Brazil as the location for its fifth key research and development centre, in a deal that will see the company invest $500 million in the nation.

The decision was made to locate the centre in Brazil as the company emphasizes its push on expanding its global operations - particularly in South America. Ferdinando Becalli-Falco, president of GE International, said Latin America's largest economy presented it with a number of financial benefits.

A new initiative has been launched by Brazilian government agencies that will see the distribution of more that 2.2 million reals worth of funding to sustainable forestry projects before the end of the year.

The National Fund for Forestry Development (FNDF), which is being managed by the Brazilian Forest Service (SFB), is encouraging applications for funding from projects that aim to use the nation's forests in both enterprising and environmentally friendly ways.