BIODIVERSITY

IN BRAZIL
Fact Sheet

UNITED NATIONS CONFERENCE ON BIOLOGICAL

DIVERSITY (COP11) HYDERABAD, INDIA

October 2012
Secretariat for Social Communication
Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil

Biodiversity in Brazil

About Secom
The Secretariat for Social Communication (SECOM) of the Presidency of
Brazil is responsible for coordinating the public relations activities for
the government of Brazil. The official website of the Brazilian State
is www.brasil.gov.br.

Press Contacts in Hyderabad

Maysa Provedello
maysa.provedello@cdn.com.br
+55-61-8170-0708

Press Contacts in New York

Sarah Vellozzi
+1-212-453-2477
sarah.vellozzi@fleishman.com
Press Contacts in Braslia

Melissa Banas
melissa.banas@fleishman.com
+1-347-891-2890

Joo Paulo Gomes

joao.gomes@cdn.com.br
+55-61-3411-4926

Biodiversity in Brazil

Contents
BASIC FACTS 4
BRAZILIAN BIOMES 5
PROGRESS IN BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION 10
SATELLITE MONITORING 13
OTHER CONSERVATION INITIATIVES 15
ESTABLISHING BIODIVERSITY TARGETS FOR 2020 19
ACCESS AND BENEFIT SHARING (ABS) 20
Photos: Juan Pratginests

Tucan

BASIC FACTS
Brazil is among the most biodiverse nations in the world:

An estimated 20 percent of the Earths biodiversity is found in Brazil.

Brazil is home to at least 103,870 animal species and between 43,000

and 49,000 plant species not to mention microorganisms, algae and
several biological groups never before studied.

Only 7,302 of the animal species and approximately 40,000 of the

plant species in Brazil have been scientifically documented, according
to the Ministry of the Environment and National Center for Flora
Conservation.

Approximately 700 new animal species are discovered each year in

Brazil, and a new plant species is identified approximately every two
days.

Sussuarana

Biodiversity in Brazil

BRAZILIAN BIOMES
Brazils biodiversity is distributed around the countrys six
biomes, and its Marine and Coastal Zone:

AMAZON BIOME
CAATINGA
BIOME

CERRADO
BIOME
PANTANAL BIOME

ATLANTIC
FOREST BIOME

PAMPA BIOME

Biodiversity in Brazil

Amazon (Tropical Rainforest)

The Amazon is the largest tropical forest in the world and spans across nine
countries, including Brazil. The Brazilian Amazon covers around 4 million
square-kilometers (almost half the national territory) and is home to high
rates of biodiversity. The forest plays a fundamental role in the climate
balance of the planet.
Mata Atlntica (Tropical Deciduous Rainforest)
The Mata Atlntica, or Atlantic Forest, is a global priority for biodiversity
conservation. Back in the 16th century, the Mata Atlntica covered most of
the Brazilian coastline, with parts of the biome also located further inland.
At the present time, around 12 percent of the biome remains preserved. It
is characterized by an abundance of species of flora and fauna.

Igap Swamp Forest

Biodiversity in Brazil

Cerrado (Savanna)
The Cerrado biome is formed by a complex set of habitat mosaics and plant
varieties that occupy all of central Brazil. Considered one of the worlds
richest savannas, the Cerrado region represents an estimated 5 percent
of all global biodiversity. Scientists have identified around 12,000 plant
species, of which around 4,400 are exclusive to this biome. The Cerrado
currently covers 24 percent of Brazil and is the primary source of the
countrys water basins.
Caatinga (Tropical Scrub Forest)
Caatinga is an exclusively Brazilian biome located in the Northeastern
semiarid region. Its vegetation is uniquely formed by small woody and
herbaceous species, usually carrying thorns, cactuses, and bromeliads. It is
estimated that at least 932 plant species have already been registered in
the region, of which 380 are exclusive to this biome. In terms of vertebrate
fauna, there are 158 species of mammals, 510 species of birds (of which
15 are endemic and 20 are endangered), 107 species of reptiles, 49 of
amphibians and 185 types of fish.
Cerrado Vegetation

Biodiversity in Brazil

Pantanal (Temperate Flooded Grassland)

With an area of around 150,000 square-kilometers, Pantanal is characterized
by grass and a low density of trees, mostly distributed in floodplain areas.
It is located in the south of the state of Mato Grosso and the northwest
of Mato Grosso do Sul, in the central-west region of Brazil. Pantanal is
recognized by UNESCO as a World Natural Heritage Site and Biosphere
Reserve.
Pampa (Grassland)
Pampa is a biome characterized by vegetation composed of grasses,
creepers and some trees and bushes found next to waterways. The fields
of the Pampa biome are an important contribution to the preservation of
biodiversity, especially for mitigating the effect of greenhouse gases and
helping to control erosion. In the Brazilian section of the biome, around
1,964 species of plants were identified, of which approximately 400 are
grasses. There are at least 476 species of birds; 110 species of reptiles; 150
species of fish and 102 species of mammals.
Capybara

Biodiversity in Brazil

Coastal and Marine Zone

The coastal and marine zone occupies around 3.5 million square-kilometers
under Brazilian jurisdiction. It is one of the longest coastlines in the world.
Environmental coastal systems present great diversity, including mangroves,
coral reefs, dunes, salt marshes, beaches, rocky shores, lagoons, estuaries
and marshes, and numerous species of flora and fauna, many of which are
exclusive to the Brazilian coast. Brazil has the largest continuous stretch of
mangroves in the world and the only coral reef environment of the South
Atlantic.

Paraguai River, Pantanal Biome

Biodiversity in Brazil

PROGRESS IN BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION

The creation of protected areas, careful monitoring of habitats and species,
and enforcement measures to combat deforestation are some of Brazils
most important efforts to preserve biodiversity. The conservation of
Brazilian biomes helps maintaining ecossystem services that are essential
to life such as adequate rainfall levels, atmospheric regulation, and the
protection of soil and drinking water.
BRAZIL LEADS THE CREATION OF PROTECTED AREAS WORLDWIDE
According to the United Nations Environment Programs Global Biodiversity
Outlook 3, Brazil has led in the designation of protected areas worldwide
over the last decade:

Nearly 75 percent of the 700,000 square-kilometers of protected areas

created around the world between 2003 and 2008 are located in Brazil.

16.8 percent of Brazils continental area (1.5 million square-kilometers)

and 1.5 percent of its marine area are designated as protected areas
up from 8 percent of the terrestrial national territory in 2006.

In the Brazilian Amazon, there are currently 310 protected areas

(federal, state, municipal and private) covering 26.14 percent of the
region (1.1 million square-kilometers of forest).

Conservation units by biome

Amazon

Caatinga

Mata
Atlntica

Cerrado

Pampa

Pantanal

Area
(km2)

Area
(km2)

Area
(km2)

Area
(km2)

Area
(km2)

Area
(km2)

1.094,094

26,1%

61.859

7,3%

167.415

8,2%

98.562

8,9%

4.827

2,7%

6.600

4,4%

Source: National Conservation Units Registry (CNUC)

Biodiversity in Brazil

10

SPOTLIGHT: Amazon Region Protected Areas Program (ARPA)

The Amazon Region Protected Areas Program (Arpa) is an an initiative
led by the Ministry of the Environment which aims to promote the
conservation and sustainable use of 60 million ha of forests (18 percent
of the Amazon) by 2018. . The Program is funded with resources
from the Global Environmental Facility (GEF), the government of
Germany, the WWF network, and the Amazon Fund -- through the
Brazilian Development Bank (BNDES). The Program was launched in
2002 and was designed to last for 13 years, and implemented in three
independent and continuous phases. It is one of the largest tropical
forest conservation programs in the world.
Brazil has also recently set in motion the Marine and Coastal Protected
Areas Project, first national large-scale conservation initiative in the
marine environment.

Biodiversity in Brazil

11

AMAZON DEFORESTATION RATES REACH RECORD LOW IN 2011

Annual deforestation rates in the Amazon have been falling steadily over
the last seven years, primarily as a result of new government policies and
stricter enforcement efforts. In 2011, for the third consecutive year, Brazil
registered the lowest deforestation rate ever recorded since monitoring
began 24 years ago.
According to Brazils National Institute for Space Research (INPE),
deforestation rates in the region dropped 8 percent (to reach 6,418 squarekilometers) in the period between August 2010 and July 2011, a reduction
of nearly 77 percent compared to 2004 levels.
Evolution of deforestation rates in the brazilian amazon
Year

Rate (Km2)

2000

18,226

2001

18,165

2002

21,651

2003

25,396

2004

27,772

2005

19,014

2006

14,286

2007

11,651

2008

12,911

2009

7,464

2010

7.000

2011

6.418

Source: National Institute for Space Research (INPE)

Biodiversity in Brazil

12

SATELLITE MONITORING
Brazils National Institute for Space Research (INPE), tied to the Ministry
of Science and Technology, uses satellite imagery to assess the extent and
rate of gross deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon, a powerful tool to
help tackle forest destruction in the region. INPE uses different systems to
measure both annual and near real-time deforestation.
DETER (near-real time deforestation detection)
DETER images allows for an estimation of the amount of deforestation
and where it is happening each fortnight. The main purpose is to show
the Brazilian Environment Institutes enforcement officials where they
should go and investigate. DETER images are public and accessible on
the Internet through the DETER webpage.
(http://www.obt.inpe.br/deter/cadastro.php).
PRODES (yearly deforestation rate assessment)
PRODES calculates the yearly consolidated deforestation rate in the
Brazilian Amazon. The satellites involved (LANDSAT and CD/CBERS)
work on an 18 day and 25 day re-visit cycle and provide precise
images, making it possible to detect any deforested area larger
than six hectares. PRODES images are also available on the internet
(www.obt.inpe.br/prodes).
Annual assessments have been conducted since 1988. Starting in 2002,
these assessments have been based on digital satellite images. The annual
deforestation rate is given for the period 1 August 31 July each year.
The Brazilian government has already started similar monitoring initiatives
for other biomes, generating information to enhance surveillance and law
enforcement actions to reduce deforestation across the country.

Biodiversity in Brazil

13

SPOTLIGHT: Action Plan for Prevention

and Control of Deforestation of the Amazon
Launched in 2004, the Action Plan for Protection and Control of
Deforestation in the Amazon (PPCDAM) comprises over 200 initiatives
involving territorial planning in forest areas, including land tenure,
monitoring and inspection and the promotion of sustainable and
productive forest management.
The program entered its third phase in 2012 and over the years has
contributed to:
A 76.9 percent drop in deforestation rates measured by INPE in the
Amazon
Creation of 25 million hectares of conservation units in the Amazon
region
Ratification of 10 million hectares of indigenous lands
Approval of new regulations to help prevent the exploitation of
public forests

Amazon Forest, near Anavilhanas municipality, Amazonas State

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14

ACTION PLAN FOR PREVENTION AND CONTROL

OF DEFORESTATION IN THE CERRADO
In September 2010, the Brazilian government introduced a similar strategy
devised to help the country reach its goal of reducing deforestation in the
Cerrado biome by 40 percent by the year 2020. The Action Plan for Prevention
and Control of Deforestation and Wildfires in Cerrado (PPCerrado) outlines
151 actions to significantly reduce the loss of vegetation cover and to
promote the protection and sustainable use of natural resources in the
biome.
Among the goals of PPCerrado are to increase the pig iron industrys use
of coal from planted forests, and to increase resources for recovery of
degraded areas. Other initiatives include fostering sustainable production
activities, monitoring and control, territorial planning, environmental
education, and the creation of 2.5 million hectares of protected areas.

OTHER CONSERVATION INITIATIVES

With the largest coastlines in the world, Brazil has taken steps to conserve
the biological diversity of its coastal and marine areas. These areas feature
mangroves, coral reefs, dunes, salt marshes, beaches, rocky shores, lagoons,
estuaries, and marshes, all with abundant flora and fauna.
CORALS
Since 2002, Brazil has been part of the International Coral Reef Initiative
of the Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network (GCRMN). One of the goals
of the program is to monitor the effectiveness of marine protected areas,
such as the Abrolhos Marine National Park in Bahia, and the habitat for
birds and aquatic mammals such as humpback whales. Research centers,
universities and civic organizations support this Brazilian initiative, which
covers an area of about 12,000 square-kilometers.

Biodiversity in Brazil

15

COASTLINES
To encourage environmentally-sustainable behavior among tourists
traveling along the coast, the government has employed public awareness
campaigns around beaches and reef environments that have been
negatively impacted by excessive visitation and practices that are unfriendly
to the environment. Tourist destinations such as Jurere Beach in the state
of Santa Catarina in southern Brazil have already received the Blue Flag, a
certificate that guarantees a locations environmental quality.
WETLANDS
Brazil is also part of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, an
intergovernmental treaty that establishes milestones for international
cooperation for the conservation and sustainable use of these areas.
Wetlands provide ecological benefits to flora and fauna as well as human
populations, in addition to regulating the water regime of vast regions.
These areas are a source of recreation and play a key role in the climate
change mitigation and adaptation process because they are large carbon
reservoirs. There are 11 Ramsar sites in Brazil, including protected areas
in the Pantanal, the Amazon, the Cerrado, and coastal areas of the
northeastern and southern regions of Brazil.

Black squirrel monkey

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16

MANGROVES
Since 2007, Brazil has been developing a project funded by the Global
Environment Facility (GEF) for the conservation and sustainable use of
mangroves. These coastal areas are home to more than 800 species.
Mangroves also provide shoreline protection and water quality
maintenance, and serve as nurseries for the developmental stages of many
marine species.
FISHERIES MANAGEMENT
Protected areas along the Brazilian coastline serve as a tool for the
management of fisheries in several regions. By restricting fishing in certain
areas, the government ensures the reproduction of species that are
important to the aquatic environment and serve as food or income for
local fishermen. One of the best examples of this type of management is
the Mamiraua Sustainable Development Reserve in the state of Amazonas
in northern Brazil. Thanks to a restriction on the fishing of pirarucu - the
largest fish in the Amazon - it was possible to restore the populations that
were threatened with extinction due to overharvesting. In addition to
repopulating the regions rivers, pirarucu is now protected under the rules
of sustainable management that help conserve the species.
Community near the Negro River

Biodiversity in Brazil

17

SPOTLIGHT: Green Grant Program

In order to combine social inclusion with environmental preservation,
the federal government has created the Program of Support for
Environmental Conservation or Green Grant (Bolsa Verde). The
Green Grant transfers income to families who develop conservation
activities in national forests, extractive reserves and federal sustainable
development areas or forest settlements, among other priority areas. As
a prerequisite for receiving a grant, families need to be living in extreme
poverty (income up to R$ 70 per capita) in areas of environmental
relevance.
Participating families receive a benefit of R$ 300 each quarter and must
sign a term of commitment to the program specifying the activities that
will be developed in the preservation areas. The commitment is valid
for up to two years with the possibility of renewal.
The nine Brazilian states that form the legal Amazon region are
participating in the initial phase of the Green Grant program. The first
group of families began to receive benefits in October 2011.
In 2012, the Bolsa Verde program widened its scope to conservation
units and settlements across Brazil as well as riverside dwellers who
live off the forests in the Amazon region, reaching 28,919 families. The
program aims to reach 73,000 families by 2014.
As of September 2012, over R$ 19 million in payments have already
been made to beneficiary families.

Biodiversity in Brazil

18

ESTABLISHING BIODIVERSITY
TARGETS FOR 2020
In 2012, Brazils Ministry of Environment and civil society partners launched
the Dialogues on Biodiversity: building the Brazilian strategy for 2020
an inclusive process with the main objective of developing the national
targets for the Strategic Plan of the Convention on Biological Diversity for
2020.
Five major meetings were held in 2011, in addition to numerous preparation
and qualification meetings, to engage five core sectors of Brazilian society:
business; environmental community; academia; government (federal and
state); and indigenous peoples and traditional communities.
During these meetings, the sectors developed proposals for national
biodiversity targets based on the 20 Global Biodiversity Targets (Aichi
Targets) to suit their specific views and needs. All participants were guided
by the need to agree on a streamlined set of targets that could be more
effectively achieved and monitored.
Following the work carried out in the sectoral meetings, all proposals were
consolidated into a single document containing proposals for national
biodiversity targets for 2020 and intermediate sub-targets to be achieved
from 2013 to 2017.
This consolidated document was available for public consultation between
December 19, 2011 and January 31, 2012, with the aim of gathering further
input from Brazilian society in developing the national biodiversity targets
for 2020, as well as obtaining a critical analysis of the targets already
proposed by the sectors consulted.
The proposals submitted by Brazilian Society were reviewed by the National
Biodiversity Commission (Comisso Nacional de Biodiversidade CONABIO)
to shape the final formulation of Brazils national targets. The national
targets have not yet been set, and are still under discussion in that forum.

Biodiversity in Brazil

19

ACCESS AND BENEFIT SHARING (ABS)

Brazil was one of the first countries to put in place ten years ago domestic
legislative, administrative and policy measures designed to implement the
Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) objective at the national level.

As a biologically diverse country, with a rich population of indigenous
and local communities holding valuable knowledge about their genetic
resources, and significant scientific and technological capacity, Brazil sees a
functioning and fair ABS system as the key to developing new biodiversitybased activities that will generate benefits for the nation, including the
further conservation and sustainable use of Brazils biological heritage.

For this reason Brazil was a vocal advocate for the negotiation of the
international regime and played a prominent role in its negotiation over six
years including in the difficult final hours of the negotiations in Nagoya
in October 2010, helping to ensure that an agreement was reached and the
text of the Nagoya Protocol adopted.
On World Environment Day (5 June 2012) President Dilma Rousseff
submitted the Nagoya Protocol for ratification by Brazils National Congress.

What is the Nagoya Protocol?

The Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit Sharing is a new international
treaty that builds on and supports the implementation of the Convention
on Biological Diversity (CBD), in particular its third objective, the fair
and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the utilization of genetic
resources.
Adopted in Nagoya, Japan on 29 October 2010, the Protocol is a landmark
agreement in the international governance of biodiversity. It is the first
multilateral environment treaty to establish a global trading system for
investment and research and development on the genetic and biochemical

Biodiversity in Brazil

20

make-up of living things. Over time, this treaty can become a key element
in facilitating the growth of a bio-based economy.
The Nagoya Protocol is based on the fundamental principles of access and
benefit-sharing enshrined in the CBD. As we have seen, these principles
involve potential users of genetic resources obtaining the prior informed
consent (PIC) of the country in which the genetic resource is located before
accessing the resource, and negotiating and agreeing on the terms and
conditions of access and use of this resource through the establishment
of mutually agreed terms (MAT). This agreement includes the sharing
of benefits arising from the use of the resource with the provider as a
prerequisite for access to the genetic resource and its use. Conversely,
countries, when acting as providers of genetic resources, should provide
fair and non-arbitrary rules and procedures for access to their genetic
resources.

ABS in Brazil
As a provider of genetic resources, Brazil seeks to use this potential wealth to
foster research and development that will build scientific and technological
capacity, create wealth, promote sustainable human development, and
contribute to the conservation and sustainable use of its natural capital.
Brazils National Science, Technology and Innovation Strategy 2012 2015
aims to make the country a world leader in both biodiversity research and
in the sustainable use of biodiversity. It envisions reinvesting a part of the
revenues obtained from the commercialization of products and processes
derived from Brazils high level of species diversity in the conservation of
its enormous natural assets.
Genetic resources and issues relating to ABS affect many activities and
sectors of the economy, from botanical gardens, culture collections and
research collections, the bio-control industry, seed banks, agriculture/green
biotech, pharmaceuticals and industrial biotech, cosmetics, horticulture,
and the food and beverage sector. However, most collecting activities in
the wild are done by researchers or representatives of collections. There are

Biodiversity in Brazil

21

very few commercial users that directly collect in the wild, mainly coming
from the bio-control industry, the horticultural sector, some niche market
companies in the cosmetics sector, and some collection of microorganisms
for research and development in industrial biotechnology.
Brazil is at the same time a user and a provider of genetic resources.
Agriculture in the country is based heavily on crops whose center of origin
is not Brazil coffee originally from the Horn of Africa, sugarcane and
rice from Southeast Asia, soybean and oranges from East Asia, wheat from
the Middle East and Brazils researchers need access to genetic resources
from these centers of origin or international research institutes in order to
protect against crop diseases, improve yields and adapt to the impacts of
climate change.

Biodiversity in Brazil

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Biodiversity in Brazil

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