-
However, responses by the governments of
Amazonian countries indicate that efforts
are under way on concrete action to deal
with their environmental challenges.
- The population is
increasing, reaching a level of 33.5 million
inhabitants in 2007.
- Cities grew at an
accelerated rate and there are now three
cities with over one million inhabitants.
- By 2005 accumulated
deforestation has affected more than 857,000
km2, a 17 per cent reduction in the region's
vegetation cover.
- The Amazonian ecosystem
is being rapidly transformed by land use
changes, infrastructure construction and
the establishment of human settlements.
- Climate change is putting
pressure on the Amazonian ecosystems making
them more vulnerable.
- Food supplies and
human health are being affected by increasing
deterioration of water quality.
Nairobi/Kenya, Panama
City/Panama, 18 February 2009 - United Nations
Environment Programme, Regional Office for
Latin America and the Caribbean.
The report, Environment
Outlook in the Amazonia: GEO Amazonia, uncovers
a revealing panorama of accelerated ecosystem
transformation and a marked environmental
degradation in this vast region of the South
American humid tropics - shared by Bolivia,
Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru,
Suriname and Venezuela - which is also the
planet's most extensive forest zone. The
study, prepared by the 8 Amazonian countries,
with the support of the United Nations Environment
Programme (UNEP) and the Amazon Cooperation
Treaty Organization (ACTO), is a new publication
in UNEP's series of integrated environmental
assessments, also known as GEO (Global Environment
Outlook) reports, and on which more than
150 experts, researchers, academics and
scientists in the countries of the assessed
region participated.
During the preparation
of this report, the principal stakeholders
from the eight Amazonian countries met to
discuss the future outlook of the regional
environment. They reached a consensus, clearly
expressed in the text: "Our Amazonia
is changing at an accelerated rate with
very profound modifications in its ecosystems".
After more than two
years of analysis, the experts affirm that
a joint action of the Amazonian governments
in the following areas could enable the
region to face the challenges (of the changing
environment): construction of an integrated
environmental vision for Amazonia, and definition
of a role of the region in national development;
harmonization of environmental policies
on regionally relevant themes; design and
application of instruments for integrated
environmental management; regional strategies
that allow sustainable utilization of Amazonian
ecosystems; insertion of risk management
in the public agenda; strengthening of Amazonian
environmental institutions; increased effort
on environmental information production
and dissemination in the region; promotion
of studies and the economic value of Amazonian
environmental services; and designing of
a monitoring and evaluation system of policies,
programmes and projects.
So far, the effort of
the Amazonian countries concerning the management
of environmental problems has primarily
been reflected in progress related to the
development of national instruments for
planning and management of Amazonia.
Figures to be considered
In essence, the publication
points out that the growing environmental
degradation in the Amazonia can be seen
by the advance of deforestation, the loss
of biodiversity, and localized climate change
impacts.
The way in which economic
activities, infrastructure construction,
and the establishment of human settlements
are changing Amazonian land use has resulted
in an accelerated transformation of the
region's ecosystems. By 2005, accumulated
deforestation in Amazonia was 857,666 km2,
reducing the region's vegetation cover by
approximately 17 per cent. This is equal
to two-thirds of Peruvian or 94% of Venezuelan
territory.
The loss of biodiversity
is expressed in an increased number of endangered
species. GEO Amazonia, however, points out
that, while local information is available
on the different countries' biodiversity,
there are no statistics or any general cartography
available showing the updated information
about this problem for the whole region.
Concerning water resources,
note is taken of the importance of the Amazonia
because of its value in the continental
and global water balance, but the publication
reports that limited action is taken on
the basin's integrated management. The volume
of water captured by the Amazonia basin-from
12,000 to 16,000 km3 a year-represents about
20% of the world's total fresh water.
The availability of
surface water in the Amazonia basin depends
to a large extent on it being properly used
and managed in each of the basin countries.
These waters are being affected by different
anthropogenic activities that damage its
quality: mine waste, hydrocarbon spills,
use of agrochemicals, cities' solid wastes,
and wastes resulting from processing illicit
crops such as coca.
The demands of international
markets are putting pressure on the region's
economic-productive dynamics, which leads
to the intensive use of its natural resources.
This results in exploiting timber and non-timber
forest products (chestnut in particular)
and hydrocarbons, and in expanding mining,
agriculture and cattle raising to meet the
demands for commodities by globalized markets
and encouraging the adoption of a production
model which, for the most part, takes no
account of sustainable use criteria.
The publication mentions
that growing populations, expanding economic
activities and building infrastructure have
led to a significant change in the region's
land use, causing ecosystem fragmentation,
deforestation and loss of biodiversity.
For example, over a 30-year period (1975-2005),
in Brazilian Amazonia the road network multiplied
by 10, thus encouraging the establishment
of human settlements. The study comments
that increased biofuel production could
accelerate this land use change.
Amazonia has also experienced
accelerated and unplanned urbanization.
Of the population of 33.5 million (38.7
million if the concept of "Greater
Amazonia" is used), approximately 21.3
million-63.6% of the total population-live
in urban areas, indicating how important
urbanization is to the region's sustainable
development strategy.
Climate change and extreme
events are putting pressure on the Amazonian
ecosystems and making it more vulnerable.
The region has been affected by a rise in
average temperature, although the extent
differs depending on the zone. The level
of precipitation has also changed although
the trends are not very clear.
GEO Amazonia maintains
that deforestation in the zone may be having
an affect on the regional climate. If the
loss of forests exceeds 30% of the vegetation
cover, then rainfall levels will decrease;
this will produce a vicious circle that
favours forest burning, reduces water vapour
release, and increases smoke emissions into
the atmosphere, resulting in further reduced
precipitation. Because of deforestation,
Amazonia is progressively becoming a significant
contributor to greenhouse gas emissions.
The publication brings
together the results of the Nepstad (2007)
study projecting that 55 per cent of the
humid Amazonian forest will have been lost
by 2030 with the subsequent conversion of
a large part of Amazonia into a savannah
before the end of the 21st century.
Scenarios
The study considers
four possible scenarios for 2026 which,
along general lines, show that the development
style chosen by the Amazonian countries
and their citizens is limiting both the
options for the region's future sustainable
development and the hope of creating an
alternative future for the Amazonia. The
publication points out that while it will
be impossible to entirely conserve the integrity
of the Amazonian ecosystems, the different
decisions taken today will be of fundamental
importance in determining to what degree
citizens of the Amazonia would accept exchanging
environmental degradation for socio-economic
development.
Lines of Action
The publication suggests
different ways of proceeding, based on joint
action by the Amazonian governments, to
allow them to confront the challenges posed
by the region. Its main challenges are:
have an integrated Amazonian vision and
define the region's national development
role; harmonize environmental policies on
themes relevant to the region; design and
implement integrated environmental management
instruments; design and implement regional
strategies that allow sustainable use of
the Amazonian ecosystems; include risk management
in the public agenda; strengthen efforts
in the region to produce and disseminate
environmental information; promote economic
valorization studies and action on Amazonian
environmental services; and design a monitoring
and assessment system on the impact of policies,
programmes and projects.
How countries respond
The governments of Amazonian
countries have also made efforts to manage
environmental problems. In fact, some progress
has been made on national instruments designed
for the region's management. In general,
the countries have sustainable development
plans, sub-national development strategies,
ecological economic zoning instruments,
as well as sub-national programmes and projects
for the Amazonian part of their territory.
In all Amazonian countries, the Constitution
includes an article on the right to a healthy
environment, with a clear mandate as to
how the environment should be used and managed.
Countries in the Andean
Community of Nations (CAN), including Andean-Amazonian
countries like Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador
and Peru, have adopted different agreements
on the environment, and on promoting national
strategies in their respective countries.
In addition, Brazil
has a project on monitoring Amazonian deforestation
that is one of the world's most advanced
on real-time deforestation monitoring. Also
to be highlighted is the establishment of
the Amazonian Fund with regulations on investing
in action to prevent, monitor and combat
deforestation.
As far as water is concerned,
ACTO has begun a process to discuss and
design, together with UNEP, GEF and OAS,
a programme to tackle the challenge of regional
water resources management
NOTE: The report, Environment
Outlook in Amazonia: GEO Amazonia, has seven
chapters covering: Amazonia: territory,
society and economy over time; Dynamics
in Amazonia; Amazonia today; The footprints
of environmental degradation; Responses
by stakeholders to the Amazonian environmental
situation; The future of Amazonia; and Conclusions
and proposals for action.
NOTE: The Amazon Cooperation
Treaty Organization (ACTO), is an inter-governmental
body established in 2003 in Brasilia, Brazil,
by the eight Amazonian countries (Bolivia,
Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru,
Suriname and Venezuela) in order to promote
sustainable development initiatives in this
strategic region with the framework of regional
cooperation.
UNEP:
Rody Oñate, Information Officer,
United Nations Environment Programme. Regional
Office for Latin America and the Caribbean
- Clayton, Ciudad del Saber - Avenida Morse,
Edificio 103, Corregimiento de Ancón
- Ciudad de Panamá, PANAMÁ
ACTO:
Cristiane Madeira,Asesora de Comunicaciones
Organización del Tratado de Cooperación
Amazónica - OTCA SHIS - QI 05 Conjunto
16 Casa 21
Lago Sul - Brasilia DF - Sitio: www.otca.info
CIUP:
Elsa Galarza, Centro de Investigación
de la Universidad del Pacífico (CIUP),
Universidad el Pacífico, Av Salaverry
2020
