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Environmental

Brazil has two years to provide regulatory protection of ecosystems

05/24/2013

This article was translated by an automatic translation system, and was therefore not reviewed by people.

 

 


Carolina Gonçalves
Brazil Agency reporter


Brasilia - The Brazilian government has two years to provide a regulatory framework for the protection of coastal and marine ecosystems is intended to fulfill the commitment made by many countries during Rio +20, the UN Conference on Sustainable Development, held in June last year in Rio de Janeiro. At the meeting, negotiators from several countries failed to reach common goals for protecting biodiversity in the high seas.

Despite the efforts of the Brazilian delegation and other countries and the results of a United Nations study that warned in 2004 that some species of fish may cease to exist if urgent measures are not adopted - committing even food security - countries have set just going to adopt national rules to protect this diversity.

National rules to protect the coastal and marine ecosystems are the basis for the economies meet international targets. In Brazil, the protection of this diversity is only guaranteed by the Federal Constitution, the Law of Coastal Management. "From 1988 to now, a lot has changed and we have new economic activities, new threats and very little of the law, in fact, occurred and has been implemented," said Leandra Goncalves, biologist and consultant Fundação SOS Mata Atlântica.

The Atlantic Forest spans almost the entire Brazilian coast, in at least 13 of the 17 states that comprise the biome. The coastal and marine ecosystems are considered fundamental for various natural processes, because they are breeding species. In addition, they serve as a source of food and shelter, and the flora and fauna found in these areas are sources of food and income for local populations.

Experts point out that these areas contribute to the protection of the coastline, the climate balance, thermal comfort in cities and the production of fish. Although all services, environmental authorities recall that these ecosystems are among the most threatened in the world.

Leandra Gonçalves highlights the biome has two threatening situations. While the Northeast suffers from having the widest coverage of mangrove threatened by shrimp fishing industry, the Southeastern states absorb the pressures by population density and the highest level of interest that drives economic activities such as oil exploration and fishing.

"We have very low level of coastal zoning measures and organization. Since 2008, we have followed the euphoria offshore, for example, and noticed oil leaks that cause damage to the whole system. The government has promised a contingency plan, but it has not got off the ground, "he adds.

Parliamentarians and representatives from government, civil society and the productive sector began the debates in Congress, to gather information about what should be included in the legal framework for the area. The biggest challenge for the group is trying to match the interests of the economic use of water resources and the conservation of marine ecosystems. "There is very strong interest from oil exploration, fishing industry and mining, since, under the sea, there are several important minerals for the industry itself and for the pharmaceutical industry. Therefore, before receiving criticism from private initiative, we want to call everyone to a conversation, "says the biologist.

With so many differences, the legislation runs the risk of not being completed by 2015, but negotiators hope at least that early discussions are there. The rules will have to provide, for example, the creation of protected areas, which is considered a leading international commitments this biodiversity. "Ten years from now, the latest conservation unit (CU) coastal and marine, created at the federal level was in 2009 and is sustainable use. I do not remember a UC conservation integral, which is what really lets nature recovers, "he adds.

Negotiators also have to equate the controversy over subsidies large industrial scale. From the data of SOS Mata Atlântica, 80% of fish stocks are being fished above the limit recovery of these species. Protected areas can minimize the impacts of this activity, but the environmentalists advocate the revision of incentives to certain sectors and the requirement for a management plan.

The law for the protection of oceans also have to fill a gap that the current rules do not cover. By the law of coastal management in place, you are ensured the coastline to 12 nautical miles. The Constitution provides that the Union is sovereign to 200 nautical miles.
"The interval between 12 miles and 200 miles, has more than international rules, still lacks a law to protect and complement this area," says the biologist.

Edition: Graca Adjuto



Source: Agency Brazil

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