dezembro, 16 2024

Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) are areas delimited in the coastal and marine zone with the objective of conserving the biodiversity and natural resources present in them. In the era of climate change, they also have the role of helping build resilience and adaptation to reduce the effects of these changes.  
 
To get a sense of the importance of these areas for biodiversity and ocean health, a report recently released by UNESCO states that more than 70% of endangered marine species seek some kind of shelter in MPAs.  
 
There are different categories of protected areas, and the rules on what can and cannot be done in them vary widely. In Integral Protection Units, for example, no type of economic activity is allowed.  
 
In National Parks, there may be public use, such as eco-tourism. In the Extractive Reserves (Resex), there is collaboration with indigenous peoples and traditional communities (IPLCs) who live within the unit in the management of economic activities such as regulated and non-predatory fishing.  
 
Creating and managing MPAs recognizing the role of IPLCs for their implementation and effectiveness is a conservation strategy that simultaneously preserves biodiversity and supports livelihoods, thereby protecting socio-biodiversity.  
 
Currently, only about 9% of the Ocean is protected, and most existing marine parks and reserves are poorly managed or uncared for.  
 
In Brazil, they are 26.5%, equivalent to 965,373 km², created inconsistently and poorly integrated, with a gap in terms of effectiveness. There are 195 MPAs, 39% classified as Full Protection and 60.91% as Sustainable Use Areas.  
 
The total percentage of these areas was only 1.6% until 2018, when the MPAs of the archipelagos of São Pedro and São Paulo and Trindade & Martim Vaz were created. However, for the country to reach the 30% agreed in the Global Biodiversity Framework, it is necessary to work on implementation and increase the effectiveness of the existing areas, in addition to the creation of new areas, considering the connectivity between them – since today they are still quite isolated – and a greater representation of habitats.  
 
WWF-Brazil works in the creation, implementation and enhancement of Marine Protected Areas. On the creation front, new studies are carried out to generate knowledge about the priority areas that may become MPAs, in addition to national and international advocacy strategies, mapping opportunities and partners for actions.  
 
Currently, two priority territories are being worked on, where there is high biodiversity and which will increase the representativeness of habitats and connectivity between MPAs: the seamounts of the Fernando de Noronha chain and the Brazilian North Chain and the Abrolhos region, the point of greatest biodiversity in the entire South Atlantic.  
 
In terms of valuing existing areas, WWF-Brazil works on transforming MPAs into territorial development assets, working with managers and local communities to promote tourism activities, innovation, social engagement and entrepreneurship.  

During implementation, there's training for managers of protected areas, support for local and traditional communities in areas of sustainable use protection, discussion of financial mechanisms, among other activities.