março, 28 2018

Renata Andrada Peña

In an unprecedented and historic decision, government representatives from Brazil, Bolivia, and Paraguay signed, on World Water Day, at the 8^th World Water Forum in Brasilia signed the trinational declaration for the conservation and social, economic, and sustainable development of the Pantanal.

For the WWF Network, the signing of the joint declaration is a reason to celebrate, since the Pantanal needs urgent conservation and development actions. The headwaters, in the plateau, where the waters that feed the Pantanal come from, are at high risk. More than 55% of the Pantanal’s headwaters have already been deforested, and the region faces other threats like lack of basic sanitation, low adoption of good ranching and agricultural practices, and the construction of canals for navigation.

The executive director of WWF-Brazil, Maurício Voivodic, applauds the declaration that was signed today: “The Pantanal, like any natural area, knows no geopolitical bounds. Millions of people and unique biodiversity depend on the ecosystem services of this region. In a scenario where 55% of the Pantanal’s headwaters have already been deforested, an initiative that calls for the integrated and transboundary management of water resources is fundamental for a peaceful and water secure future.”

Lucy Aquino, director of WWF-Paraguay, believes that together it is possible to keep the Pantanal’s rivers healthy and thriving: “The Pantanal is one of the most important regions in the world in terms of services provided to humanity, and one of those regions that supplies food to the world. The Pantanal’s waters provide services for the entire Paraguay River Basin, not only in Brazil but also in Bolivia, Argentina, and Paraguay. It is very important to embrace this trinational declaration that aims to conserve the Pantanal. The challenge now is to advance the implementation of this notable agreement.”

The director of WWF-Bolivia, Samuel Sangueza, is also optimistic about the alliance between the three countries for the Pantanal: “We celebrate this agreement as a decisive step in the integration of Bolivia, Brazil, and Paraguay in maintaining this ecosystem, which is fundamental for the welfare of more than 10 million people.”

A Joint Declaration
The declaration was signed the 22th March, by the Minister of the Environment of Brazil, Sarney Filho, the Minister of the Environment of Bolivia, Carlos René Ortuño Yañez, and the General Directorate of Protection and Conservation of Water Resources of the Secretary of the Environment of Paraguay, David Fariña. The three countries agree to develop and implement coordinated plans and strategies between them, bolstered by the principal of cooperation to achieve the integrated and sustainable development of the Pantanal, and guarantee the quality and quantity of water in the Paraguay River Basin by means of themed working groups. From here on out, this declaration will direct the diverse uses of water resources of the Brazilian part of the Pantanal. Brazil provides water for the other countries. Therefore, how water is used in our territory could directly interfere with the quality and quantity of water in Paraguay and Bolivia.

The Pantanal
The Pantanal is the largest tropical wetland in the world, with around 175,000 km2. Approximately 10 million people depend on the ecosystem services of this biome. In the Pantanal, there are ten Ramsar sites (wetlands of international importance) recognized by the Convention. Three of them are in Brazil: the National Park of Pantanal Matogrossense; RRPN Sesc Pantanal and RPPN Fazenda do Rio Negro. The Pantanal contains rich biodiversity: more than 4 million plant and animal species have already been counted. In addition to the region’s remarkable flora and fauna, the rich presence of traditional communities stands out, such as indigenous communities, the Quilombolas, bait collectors along the Paraguay River, and the Amolar and Paraguai Mirim communities, among others. Over the years, these communities have directly influenced the cultural formation of the people living in the Pantanal. Despite the Pantanal’s abundant natural beauty, the biome continues to be impacted by unsustainable human activities. Just 4.6% of the Pantanal is protected in conservation areas, of which 2.9% are considered conservation areas of integrated protection and 1.7% of which are considered conservation areas of sustainable use (BRASIL, 2015).