From: Cool Earth
Brazil's Amazon Fund could finance for-profit as well as not-profit eco-projects, it has been revealed.
According to the newspaper O Estado de Sao Paulo, the fund, which collects money from around the world to protect the rainforest, is considering ways of creating long-lasting job opportunities for local communities.
Environment minister Carlos Minc told the newspaper: "Some for-profit companies could benefit, but they will be small ones that create sustainable employment."
The projects would hinge around protecting rainforest communities and Mr Minc stressed that there would be a "very rigid criteria" for deciding upon which projects received financial backing.
Earlier this month, Adidas and Timberland signed a deal with Greenpeace which prevents the firms from using products made unethically in the Amazon rainforest.
Both high street retailers, made a pledge to source ethically produced leather from the Amazon area for products such as watches.