Sustainable Development - Responsibilities and Commitments of Everyone

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Agro-ecological Zoning of Sugarcane

Sugarcane-based ethanol production places Brazil as a world player in the trade of biofuels and also sets forth its commitments to engage the efforts for reducing the emission of greenhouse gases. By holding a competitive and successful program, the country is an example of how to combine growth and environment care.

Regarding this issue, after carrying out a discerning study on climate and soil, and taking into account social, environmental and economical aspects, the Brazilian government has defined a set of rules that shall order the expansion of sugarcane plantation in Brazil. This is the Agro-ecological Zoning of Sugarcane (ZAE) program, launched in September 2009.

The proposal has been forwarded to the National Congress as law draft, and also includes, among several actions, a schedule for the gradual reduction, until 2017, of sugarcane wildfires, in addition to prohibiting the plantation of sugarcane in the Amazonia region, Pantanal region, High Paraguay River Basin (BAP), and areas with native vegetation coverage.

The Brazilian forecast includes two-fold expansion, until 2017, of the current seven million hectares of sugarcane planted area. For the new seven million hectares to be included, the sugarcane’s ZAE shall be used as a guarantee of acceptance of the Brazilian ethanol in the world markets. The inclusion of the environmental issue in the sugarcane zoning process shall play a differentiation factor in favor of Brazilian products. This shall be considered as a ‘green’ stamp for Brazilian alcohol.

ZAE is one of the most detailed studies worldwide and the most structured in the country under social, environmental and economical perspectives, and enforces the importance of planning and strategic conduction in its development so as to make Brazil a leading energy producing nation, which respects biodiversity.
The proposal includes a series of environmental measures, such as:
- Elimination of sugarcane wildfires by using mechanized harvesting;
- Prohibition of depleting the native vegetation
- Proper disposal of vinasse (which as a by-product from the distillation of the alcohol fermenting liqueur from sugarcane). Today, vinasse is discarded into rivers.
- Change vinasse into biogas and bio-fertilizers
- Beneficiation of sugarcane straw to produce renewable energy
- Prohibition of invading food-production areas.

According to the zoning, the sugarcane production shall only occur in degraded areas, especially in the States of Minas Gerais, Goiás, São Paulo, Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul and Paraná. However, sugarcane plantations currently in progress, and also the scheduled expansions, even in the Amazonia, Pantanal and High Paraguay River Basin regions should not be prohibited.