Following an extensive recruitment process by the IRI Brazil Advisory Council, Carlos Vicente has been selected as the new National Facilitator of the IRI Brazil program. Carlos Vicente is a forest engineer (Federal Rural University of Rio de Janeiro – UFRRJ) and holds an MBA in Natural Resources Management (Costa Rican Institute of Business Administration – INCAE). He has vast experience in Brazilian Amazon issues, having served as State Secretary for Forest & Traditional Populations in the State of Acre, Director of the National Forestry Program at the Minister of Environment of Brazil, Technical Adviser for former-Environmental Minister Marina Silva and, currently, as a Legislative Advisor on social-environmental issues for the Leadership of Political Party Sustainability Network at the Federal Senate. In his 32 years of experience in the fields of forestry research and sustainable economic development, Carlos worked closely with social environmental movements, including the National Council of Rubber Workers, the Amazon Workers Center, rural workers unions and environmental non- profits. He was one of the co-authors of the Plan for Prevention and Control of Deforestation at the Brazilian Amazon (PPCDAM), that reduced deforestation rates by 83%, avoiding the emission of 4 billion tons of CO2 into the atmosphere; and also lead the creation of Amazon’s first program of Payment for Environmental Services. During his time as State Secretary, Carlos also supported the foundation of the Central Cooperative of Non-Timber Products Commercialization of the State of Acre, the largest producer of processed Brazil nuts in the country. As recognition for his efforts to advance conservation in the Amazon, Carlos received in 2001 an Appreciation Award from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
