Mangrove Action Project

"Urgent Alert! Mangrove International Action needed for reversing Brazil's Forest Code",
Blog: Mangrove Action Project (MAP), Washington D.C., Estados Unidos, 31 de enero de
2013.
Consultado en:
http://mangroveactionproject.blogspot.mx/2013/01/urgent-alert-mangroveinternational.html
Fecha de consulta: 25/07/2013.
MANIFEST FOR BRAZILIAN MANGROVES
Recent amendments to Brazilian Forest Code (BFC) threatens the country’s status
as the second largest mangrove area in the world (1). Contrary to major scientific
advisory (2–18) and public opinion (19), government made legal for shrimp farmers and
salt producers to convert tidal wetland ecosystems into ponds. Changes are being
encouraged throughout the country considering BFC is a Federal regulation and applies
nationally. In the Amazon biome (which comprises the coasts of the States of Amapá, Pará
and Maranhão), where 60% of Brazilian mangroves are located(20), 10% of these systems
can be converted. Along the rest of the shoreline, 35% can be converted. Additionally, this
regulation also assures amnesty to transgressors that occupied these areas until July 22,
2008.
Assessments made prior to the consolidation of shrimp farming industry in Brazil
revealed that the country had already had lost 50,000 ha between the years of 1985 and
2000 due to diverse causes(21). Nevertheless, it is estimated that shrimp farming industry
alone is responsible for the conversion of another 50,000 ha of the country’s tidal wetland
ecosystems into ponds (22, 23), mainly on salt flats (24).
Despite the increasing growth rate of shrimp farming in Brazil during the past
decade (from 7,000 to 90,000 tonnes per year production), its CO 2 emissions — resulting
from both land conversion and shrimp production — have not been included in Brazil’s
emission statistics (2, 25), thereby underestimating the country’s share in the responsibility
of climate change mitigation.
Salt flat conversions outlined in the BFC could lead to staggering mangrove losses
and hugely increase CO 2 emissions, considering that these systems possibly store an
equivalent to roughly 2.5 times annual global carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) emissions (26).
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Considering only shrimp farms that have already been installed in the country, these land
conversions correspond to 1.5% of all Brazilian marine wetlands, or only 0.03% of the
national territory; however, they alone account for 1% of the total Brazilian yearly
CO 2 emissions (2, 27).
Considering Brazil’s mangrove coverage, which makes it a critical player on the
mitigation of the CO 2 effects and climate change stabilization, we ask for international
support to help in reversing this horrible political decision. Join us by exerting any type of
pressure, either by divulgating this absurd decision or by writing straight to our government
representatives (contact info attached).
Thank you very much.
"Instituto Bioma Brasil (IBB) and Contributors"
Authors who contributed to this article:
André Rovai (UFSC / IBB)
Paulo Pagliosa (UFSC)
Alessandra Fonseca (UFSC)
Ricardo Menghini (MPSP)
Yara Schaeffer-Novelli (IOUSP / IBB)
Gilberto Cintron-Molero (FWS)
Clemente Coelho-Júnior (UPE / IBB)
Renato almeida (UFRBA / IBB)
Marília Cunha Lignon (UNIFESP / IBB)
Literature cited:
1. M. Spalding, M. Kainuma, L. Collins, World Atlas of Mangroves (Earthscan, London,
UK, 2010), p. 319.
2. P. R. Pagliosa, A. S. Rovai, A. L. Fonseca, Carbon mismanagement in Brazil, Nature
Climate Change 2, 764–764 (2012).
3. A. S. Rovai, R. P. Menghini, Y. Schaeffer-Novelli, G. Cintrón-Molero, C. Coelho-Jr,
Protecting Brazil’s coastal wetlands, Science 335, 1571–1572 (2012).
4. J. P. Metzger et al., Brazilian Law: Full Speed in Reverse?, Science 329, 276–277
(2010).
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5. A. G. Nazareno, Call to veto Brazil’s forest-code revisions, Nature 481, 29 (2012).
6. Y. Schaeffer-Novelli, A. S. Rovai, C. Coelho-Jr, R. P. Menghini, R. Almeida, in Código
Florestal e a Ciência: o que nossos legisladores ainda precisam saber, (Comitê Brasil em
Defesa das Florestas e do Desenvolvimento Sustentável, Brasília DF, 2012), pp. 18–27.
7. F. Michalski, D. Norris, C. A. Peres, No Return from Biodiversity Loss, Science 329,
1282 (2010).
8. F. R. Silva, V. H. M. Prado, D. C. Rosa-Feres, Value of Small Forest Fragments to
Amphibians, Science 332, 1033–1033 (2011).
9. L. F. Toledo, S. P. Carvalho-e-Silva, C. Sánchez, M. A. Almeida, C. F. B. Haddad, The
review of the Brazilian Forest Act: harmful effects on amphibian conservation, Biota
Neotropica 10, 35–38 (2010).
10. L. Cassati, Changes in the Brazilian Forest Code: potential impacts on the
ichthyofauna, Biota Neotropica 10, 31–34 (2010).
11. P. F. Develey, T. Pongiluppi, Potential impacts of the changes proposed in the Brazilian
Forest Code on birds, Biota Neotropica 10, 43–46 (2010).
12. A. V. L. Freitas, Potential impacts of the proposed Brazilian Forest Act on native
butterflie, Biota Neotropica 10, 53–58 (2010).
13. V. L. Imperatriz-Fonseca, P. Nunes-Silva, Bees, ecosystem services and the Brazilian
Forest Code, Biota Neotropica 10, 59–62 (2010).
14. J. G. Tundisi, T. M. Tundisi, Potencial impacts of changes in the Forest Law in relation
to water resources, Biota Neotropica 10, 67–76 (2010).
15. K. T. Ribeiro, L. Freitas, Potential impacts of changes to Brazilian Forest Code in
campos rupestres and campos de altitude, Biota 10, 239–246 (2010).
16. O. A. V. Marques, C. Nogueira, M. Martins, R. J. Sawaya, Potential impacts of changes
in the Brazilian Forest Code on reptiles, Biota Neotropica 10, 39–42 (2010).
17. M. Galleti et al., Forest legislative changes and their impacts on mammal ecology and
diversity in Brazil, Biota Neotropica 10, 47–52 (2010).
18. P. H. S. Brancalion, R. R. Rodrigues, Agricultural land reduction due to the compliance
with the current Forest Code: a study case of sugarcane production in the State of São
Paulo, Biota Neotropica 10, 63–66 (2010).
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19. Datafolha, What Brazilians think about the “new” Forest Law proposal, (Brasília,
2011;http://d3nehc6yl9qzo4.cloudfront.net/downloads/10_may_2011_datatafolha_cf_doc.p
df).
20. P. W. M. Souza-Filho, Costa de manguezais de macromaré da Amazônia: cenários
morfológicos, mapeamento e quantificação de áreas usando dados de sensores
remotos, Revista Brasileira de Geofísica 23, 427–435 (2005).
21. FAO, The world’s mangroves 1980-2005 (Food and Agriculture Organization of the
United States, Rome, 2007), p. 77.
22. G. A. Daldegan, M. Matsumoto, A. Chatwin, in XIII Simpósio Brasileiro de
Sensoriamento Remoto, (INPE, Florianópolis, SC, 2007), pp. 851–857.
23. MMA, Panorama da conservação dos ecossistemas costeiros e marinhos no Brasil A.
P. L. . Prates, M. A. Gonçalves, M. R. Rosa, Eds. (MMA/SBF/GBA, Brasília DF, ed. 1st,
2010), p. 148.
24. A. G. Zitello, thesis, Duke University (2007).
25. M. S. Copertino, Add coastal vegetation to the climate critical list, Nature 473, 255
(2011).
26. J. Siikamäki, J. N. Sanchirico, S. L. Jardine, Global economic potential for reducing
carbon dioxide emissions from mangrove loss., Proceedings of the National Academy of
Sciences of the United States of America 109, 14369–74 (2012).
27. MCT, Segunda comunicação nacional do Brasil à Convenção-Quadro das Nações
Unidas sobre mudança do clima (Brasília, 2010; http://www.mct.gov.br/clima), p. 280.
Attachments:
Info about Presidency of Brazil
President:
Dilma Rousseff
Address:
Palácio do Planalto
Praça dos Três Poderes, Palácio do Planalto, Anexo I, Ala B, sala 107
CEP: 70150900
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Phone:
+55 61 3411.1200
+55 61 3411.1201
Fax:
+55 61 3411.2222
E-mail:
[email protected]
Electronic messages can also be sent at:
https://sistema.planalto.gov.br/falepr2/index.php?IND_IDIOMA=I
Sample Letter:
President of Brasil
January 16,2013
Dilma Rousseff
Palácio do Planalto
Praça dos Três Poderes, Palácio do Planalto, Anexo I, Ala B, sala 107
CEP: 70150900
Dear Honorable President Rousseff,
I wish to draw your attention to a dangerous revision to your country’s
coastal regulations that are troubling me now. Recent amendments to Brazilian Forest
Code (BFC) threaten your country’s mangrove forests and will, if implemented,
adversely affect the status of Brazil as the second largest mangrove area in the world.
Because of this ill-conceived amendment, I am very concerned for the future of all of
Brazil’s coastal wetlands, including the mangroves and their associated inter-tidal
wetland areas- the mud flats and salt flats, sea grass beds and coral reefs.
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Assessments made prior to the consolidation of shrimp farming industry in Brazil
revealed that the country had already lost 50,000 ha between the years of 1985 and
2000 due to diverse causes. Nevertheless, it is estimated that shrimp farming industry
alone is responsible for the conversion of another 50,000 ha of the country’s tidal
wetland ecosystems into ponds, mainly on salt flats, which will be the last refuge for
the mangroves to colonize as the sea level rises as is now occurring at a much moré
rapid rate than earlier predicted. Loss of these intertidal areas to expanding shrimp
farm development will mean loss of future mangroves that would otherwise have
colonized those same sites.
For the sake of combating climate change and restoring your country’s coastal
wetlands and wild fisheries, I ask that you please reconsider this troubling
amendment and act now to reverse this earlier decision.
For the Mangroves And the Mangrove Communities!
Alfredo Quarto,
Executive Director
Mangrove Action Project
[email protected]
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