Project Narrative

To improve water availability, quality, and accessibility in S‹o Paulo, The Nature Conservancy, together with public and private partners, is prioritizing natural infrastructureÑthe conservation and restoration of forests and grasslandsÑin the PCJ, Para’ba do Sul and Upper Tiete watersheds. Restoring watershed integrity and improving farming practices are viable investments to ensure water supplies. The investment mechanismÑwater fundsÑconnect downstream water users to the conservation of their water sources. In 2015, TNC launched the Green Blue Water Coalition in Brazil, convening private and public sector actors to raise awareness about nature-based solutions in crucial watersheds and to catalyze the needed resources for Water Funds in several metropolitan regions. This Coalition helped strengthen the S‹o Paulo Water Fund (SPWF), which now is in the Operation Phase, working towards maturity phase. The S‹o Paulo Water Fund is now at a pivotal point of growth. Dozens of pilot projects have yielded positive impacts on water quality. Collective action in partnership with local companies, such as AB InBev and Coca-Cola, have mainstreamed the concept of watershed conservation, and improve awareness where the private sector have a better understanding of the value of natural infrastructure. It is time to leverage this for greater impact for water resilience in partnership with the Water Resilience Coalition. With catalytic leadership from the WRC, we can: 1. Mobilize a broad coalition for natural infrastructure as an economically viable water security solution; and 2. Catalyze significant public funding streams to support wider restoration, conservation, and improved management in the PCJ. If we double down now, we can create net-positive water impact for parts of S‹o Paulo, reducing risk to people, industry, and agriculture.