com.liferay.portal.kernel.util.DateUtil_IW@7206233
Photographer: Vale Archive
com.liferay.portal.kernel.util.DateUtil_IW@7206233
Photographer: Bob Wolfenson
40 years of Vale’s operations in the Amazon: Our commitment
One of Vale’s key commitments is to protect the Amazon in collaboration with local communities, experts, scientists and organizations.

The Amazon, one of the planet’s richest biomes, is home to approximately 28 million people, representing about 13% of Brazil’s population.

It is essential to promote sustainable development opportunities for these communities, while also fostering the bioeconomy and creating a business environment that supports the conservation of native forests.

Sustainable mining 

Around 60% of Vale’s iron ore production originates from the Amazon region, contributing significantly to tax revenue and job creation. Despite this substantial output, the company’s operations occupy only about 2% of the Carajás Forest Mosaic in Pará, demonstrating that it is possible to balance industrial production with environmental conservation.

In partnership with the Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation (ICMBio), Vale helps protect approximately 800,000 hectares of natural habitat within the Carajás Forest Mosaic. This joint work seeks to contribute to the protection of nature and the advancement of the bioeconomy, science and culture.

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Access the video and learn more 

Partnerships and investments 
Fundo Vale in the Amazon 
Drawing on 15 years of experience in the biome, Fundo Vale serves as the company’s voluntary investment vehicle. Its mission is to promote positive social and environmental impact solutions that strengthen a sustainable, fair and inclusive economy. Since it was founded, it has built a network of partnerships with more than 80 institutions and invested around R$270 million. 

Over the last decade, Vale, through Fundo Vale, has supported initiatives led by research institutions, government bodies, NGOs and startups.  
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Photo: Ricardo Teles

Vale’s initiatives to conserve the environment 
Located in Carajás National Forest in Pará, the Vale Amazon Bio Park is a leading initiative in species protection and environmental education. Established in 1985, the park spans 30 hectares of native forest, providing a natural habitat where various species can roam freely, even in areas accessible to visitors. 
This document outlines Vale’s actions to avoid, mitigate, restore and compensate for the possible impacts of its operations. The plan seeks to contribute to the conservation of fauna and flora in the Carajás Mosaic and its ecosystem services, which are fundamental to people’s lives and future generations.​ 
The Vale Institute of Technology (ITV) carries out research with an emphasis on sustainable development and mining. One of its projects is Natural Capital, an initiative that is examining the carbon stock in Carajás National Forest. This research aims to explore the relationship between microclimate regulation in forested areas and the potential impacts of vegetation loss.  

These studies will help us understand future climate change scenarios, predict the potential disappearance or preservation of forests and identify the types of vegetation that historically characterized a region. 
Conservation Areas 
Vale and the Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation (ICMBio) are working to conserve the largest area of continuous forest in southern and southeastern Pará. 

The conservation of this area contributes to the fight against global warming by maintaining the forest’s carbon stock, avoiding greenhouse gas emissions caused by deforestation and forest degradation. 
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Fundo Vale in the last decade 

Supported more than 100 social and environmental projects 

Accelerated 200 businesses with a positive social and environmental impact through partner organizations 

Benefited 29,000 people, including rural farmers, extractive producers and their families

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Photo: Ricardo Teles

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Support for the creation of PrevisIA tool 
Fundo Vale, in collaboration with Microsoft and the Institute for the Amazon’s People and Environment (Imazon), supported the development of PrevisIA, a tool launched in June 2021. PrevisIA uses artificial intelligence to predict areas at higher risk of deforestation and fires in the Amazon. 

The tool analyzes a wide range of data, including topography, land cover, urban infrastructure, official and unofficial roads, and socioeconomic indicators, to identify trends in forest conversion through deforestation. This information is publicly available, enabling public bodies and other organizations to use the tool for planning and implementing preventive actions to combat and control deforestation.​ 

Find out more: 
Horizons Project 

Launched by ICMBio and Vale in 2020, the Horizons Project is helping expand the recovery of habitat around Conservation Areas in the Carajás region.​ 
 
By implementing agroforestry systems, the aim is to form ecological corridors that will protect soil, while supporting income generation, river conservation and the fight against greenhouse gas emissions. 

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Photo: Ricardo Teles

Vale is the main sponsor of the unprecedented show in the heart of the forest 

In September, Rock in Rio and The Town will present, with the sponsorship of Vale, a historic show on a floating stage.

The project “Amazônia Live Today and Always”, an unprecedented partnership between Rock in Rio and The Town, aims to highlight the importance of preserving the Amazon Rainforest for global climate balance. The event will reach its peak on September 17, with a TV special broadcast by Multishow and TV Globo, hosted by Mariah Carey, who will deliver a unique performance on a stage inspired by the giant water lily, a symbol of the Amazon.

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Photo: Vale Archive

And on September 20, at the Mangueirão Stadium, in Belém, there will be a show, exclusive and free for residents of the State of Pará.

The Great Meeting for a Better World aims to draw attention to the need to keep the forest standing, through the protection of its native peoples, contributing to the global challenge of reducing carbon emissions.

The event takes place on September 20 and will have as attractions Ivete Sangalo, Viviane Batidão and the Lambateria Baile Show party invites Lia Sophia.

Alongside Mariah, different generations of icons of Pará’s music come together in a powerful, unique, and exclusive gathering, representing a feminine and empowered Amazon with four emblematic artists: Dona Onete, Joelma, Gaby Amarantos, and Zaynara. The event will be immortalized in a documentary, uniting music and climate activism.

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Photo: Bob Wolfenson

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Call for proposals
As part of the Amazon Live Project, six initiatives led by non-profit organizations have been selected to benefit from a private call for proposals. A total budget of R$2 million will be allocated across all projects.  
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Discover the "Trees of the World" Sticker Album
Where the true stars are the trees.
Learn more about other initiatives in the region
Vale is promoting the reforestation of pasturelands it has acquired in the Serra Sul area, in Canaã dos Carajás, Pará, creating robust ecological corridors and restoring the region’s fauna and flora. Since the project was set up, 1,045 hectares of trees have been planted and 3,853 hectares are undergoing regeneration. 
The region’s revegetation process is carried out by planting native species from Carajás National Forest. Vale’s Forest Nursery produces around 200,000 saplings a year, encompassing 120 species on average. 
Vale has been supporting culture for over two decades, and the Vale Cultural Institute is now one of the largest cultural investors in Brazil. The institute operates four cultural centers, including two in the Amazon region: the Vale Maranhão Cultural Center in Maranhão and Canaã dos Carajás Cultural Center in Pará. 

The Vale Cultural Institute showcases and celebrates the rich artistic and cultural heritage of northern Brazil by carrying out projects and preserving historical records. It offers a wide range of free activities for everyone, focusing especially on local people. 

Find out more: 
The Vale Foundation is developing education and health projects in partnership with 32 municipalities in the states of Pará and Maranhão. These projects seek to expand access to high-quality education, with a focus on literacy and learning processes. The foundation is also working to strengthen basic healthcare and social assistance.​ 
Vale has joined forces with the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) and its strategic partners to strengthen the implementation of UNICEF’s certification scheme for the Brazilian Amazon region. UNICEF is working with companies and corporate foundations, both in Brazil and globally, to advance the UN Sustainable Development Goals and support the development of children and adolescents. 

Amazon Pathways is a program created by the Iungo Institute, the Reúna Institute and Cooperation for the Amazon. The initiative aligns with Vale’s global goals related to forest conservation and the fight against extreme poverty. It is backed financially by Vale, the Brazilian development bank (BNDES), the Hydro Sustainability Fund, the Arapyaú Institute and the Greater Good Movement. 

The program seeks to help young people in the Amazon region participate in decision making related to the region. The public education networks of eight of Brazil’s nine Amazonian states have joined the initiative: Acre, Amapá, Amazonas, Maranhão, Mato Grosso, Pará, Roraima and Tocantins.  

Find out more: 

Interlinked sub-projects 

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Environmental licensing 

Strengthening knowledge management regarding environmental licensing will enhance the accuracy and effectiveness of the conditions required for forest conservation initiatives.  
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Land use diversification 

Expanding the region’s economic base through agroforestry and extractive activities will generate income for small farmers. 
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Conservation of water resources 

To work with the Itacaúnas River Basin, it is important to address various types of land use in a sustainable way. 
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Land tenure reform 

Effective land use management is essential to address challenges related to land occupation. 
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Biodiversity monitoring 

Work in this area expands our understanding of Conservation Areas and promotes research. 
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Find out more