outubro, 10 2024

By WWF-Brazil 

The Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change (MMA) announced on Wednesday, September 18, the list of civil society organizations elected to the National Biodiversity Commission (CONABIO). The commission had been dismantled in February 2020, as part of a policy of underminingsocio-environmental policies during the administration of Jair Bolsonaro. Today’s announcement marks a turning point in the restoration of a more just and democratic society and is a crucial step for Brazil to assume its role in the fight to reverse the rapid loss of biodiversity. 

“This is a victory for civil society, which had lost its space in forums and councils in recent years, as part of an effort to eliminate our representation. In addition to regaining our place in CONABIO, we succeeded in securing representation by biome, youth participation, and gender balance in the appointments for primary and alternate members,” explained Michel Santos, Public Policy Manager at WWF-Brazil. 

Among the organizations returning to participate in CONABIO is WWF-Brazil, which was elected to address issues related to Coastal and Marine Zones. For the Amazon, the seat on the commission went to Conservation International Brazil; for the Caatinga biome, the Fundação Araripe for Sustainable Development; for the Cerrado, the Institute for Society, Population and Nature (ISPN); for the Atlantic Forest, the SOS Atlantic Forest Foundation; for the Pampa biome, the Curicaca Institute; and for the Pantanal, the Institute for Ecological Research (IPÊ). 

According to Santos, these are just the first steps in a long journey. “One of the challenges of this new composition is discussing the deliberative nature of CONABIO. Currently, CONABIO is in an advisory capacity. It is essential for civil society to have an active voice so that we can join forces between public authorities and science,” he concluded. 

CONABIO is a commission within the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change, responsible for monitoring and guiding the implementation of national biodiversity policies. In addition to the organizations representing civil society, the commission is composed of government agency representatives, and together they play a role in proposing and discussing means of implementing national biodiversity policies. You can read the full election results for CONABIO here.