In 2006, Alcoa formed a partnership with Funbio and the Center for Sustainability Studies (GVces) at the Getulio Vargas Foundation in order to explore measures beyond the compensation and mitigation required for the installation of a large-scale project in the Brazilian Amazon: a bauxite mine in Juruti, on the shores of the Amazon River, in western Pará state.
 
The result of an investment of approximately R$3 billion, the mine went on line in September 2009, and has an annual production capacity of 2.6 million tons of bauxite. Juruti, a typical city in the heart of the Amazon, felt both the positive and negative impacts from the company’s arrival in 2006.
 
The objective of the Sustainable Juruti Program is to create a long-term plan for the region, the implementation of which will allow the partnership to become an example of sustainability on a national and international scale. The plan for local sustainability in Juruti is being created by the partners, the government and the residents of Juruti. The proposed model involves a three-part intervention:
 
The Sustainable Juruti Board (Conjus) - A space for all social actors to participate in the debate on priorities for local development, based on the Agenda 21 model, is in progress under the supervision of ISER.
 
Sustainable Development Indicators – An instrument for the monitoring of social, economic and environmental changes in the region, under the supervision of the Center for Sustainability Studies (GVces) at the Getulio Vargas Foundation.
 
The Sustainable Juruti Fund (Funjus): The financial instrument of regional sustainable development programs. Created by Funbio, Funjus makes investments in the priority areas as defined by the Sustainable Juruti Board and uses the Sustainability Indicators to measure the impacts of supported programs and the major changes resulting from socio-environmental funding.
 
Contact:
Manoel Serrão – coordinator of the program at Funbio
manoel@funbio.org.br