A pioneering sustainability initiative by the leading open science publisher, Frontiers, has recently earned recognition as a Pilot Science Mission for Sustainability at the International Science Council’s (ISC) Muscat Global Knowledge Dialogue, held on January 27, 2025. This achievement marks a major milestone for the "Transformative Science for Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable Livelihoods in Amazonia" project, spearheaded by the Instituto Juruá in Brazil.
The Pilot Science Missions for Sustainability employ a ‘big science’ approach to sustainability, encouraging robust collaboration across the scientific, policy, and societal sectors. This year, the ISC received over 250 expressions of interest from various consortia, but only a select few, including Instituto Juruá’s project, were chosen. The initiative’s groundbreaking efforts in preserving biodiversity while promoting sustainable economic growth in the Amazon region have now been recognized as a global model for future endeavors.
At the core of the project’s success is Dr. João Campos-Silva, President of Instituto Juruá, who leads the mission alongside Vice-President Professor Carlos Peres. Professor Peres, also the inaugural International Champion of the Frontiers Planet Prize, has played a pivotal role in expanding the institute's outreach, notably with the support of a generous 1 million CHF (approximately US$1.1 million) prize from Frontiers. These funds have helped extend the project’s work in the Amazonas state of Brazil, significantly increasing its reach and environmental impact.
“Beyond the funding, Frontiers has activated its climate action program, bringing together a coalition of ten partners to amplify the impact of the project at the grassroots level,” says Dr. Campos-Silva. These partners include influential organizations such as the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), KPMG, and Deep Matter Labs, alongside policy-making entities like the Global Covenant of Mayors (GCOM) and the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI).
This concerted effort is now poised to transform the Amazon basin into a key area for sustainable biodiversity projects that also benefit local economies. The project’s inclusion as an ISC Pilot Science Mission means it will scale up its operations throughout the entire Amazon region, with the potential to serve as a replicable model for global biodiversity conservation and community-based sustainability.
The Instituto Juruá’s project is focused on several key objectives that align with both conservation goals and the enhancement of local livelihoods:
• Empowering local communities to act as conservation agents, promoting forest stewardship while strengthening local economies.
• Establishing a polycentric governance regime across the river basin to support collaborative decision-making.
• Protecting approximately 10 million hectares of forest.
• Recovering overexploited species with both commercial and cultural significance.
• Upholding the social rights of Indigenous peoples and local communities.
• Supporting low-carbon bioeconomy initiatives for sustainable income generation.
• Improving regional infrastructure to enhance access to essential services.
This holistic approach to sustainability has made the project a standout success, blending ecological preservation with social and economic development in the heart of the Amazon. With the backing of Frontiers and its extensive network, the initiative is set to make a lasting impact, not only in Brazil but across the globe.
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