Brazil - Overview

Remark:

Please note that this country profile has been prepared by the Secretariat on the basis of information provided in the NBSAP and national reports, but has not been reviewed by the Party concerned.

Status and Trends of Biodiversity

Overview

Brazil is classified among one of the world’s 17 megadiverse countries, incorporating 70% of the world’s catalogued animal and plant species. It is estimated that Brazil hosts between 15-20% of all the world’s biological diversity, and the greatest number of endemic species on a global scale. This is an important resource, not only for the environmental services provided, but also for the development and sustainable use opportunities available... More »

National Biodiversity Strategy Action Plan

Major features of National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan

Upon signing the Convention on Biological Diversity, Brazil committed to actions that promote the conservation, sustainable use and the equitable sharing of benefits of the country’s biodiversity. The Ministry of Environment then created the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action plan, whose main objective is the implementation of these commitments through the definition of strategies, programs and actions... More »

Implementation of the Convention

Measures Taken to Achieve the 2010 Target

To better understand Brazil’s extraordinary biodiversity there are several ongoing projects for the identification of species. These include the Ducke Reserve Flora Project, which has recorded approximately 5,000 woody plants over 5 years. Projects aimed at the protection of threatened species include the program for the protection of endangered species of the Brazilian Atlantic forest, which now covers less than 8% of its original surface and is still subject to intense destruction... More »

Initiatives in Protected Areas

Considering only the federal units and excluding Private Reserves of the Natural Heritage, approximately 7% of the Brazilian territory is protected under conservation units. Of this area, 43% is under integral protection and 52% is destined for sustainable use. Brazil’s protected areas include 8 Ramsar sites, the largest of which is the Reentrâncias Maranhenses Environmental Protection Area covering over 2... More »

Initiatives for Article 8(j)

Mechanisms are in place to allow the participation of traditional knowledge holders in the decision-making processes, such as the Genetic Heritage Management Council, the National Biodiversity Commission, and the National Environmental Council. Through the National Biodiversity Strategy Project, Brazil supported the elaboration of a synthesis on biodiversity-related traditional knowledge in Brazil through an inventory of all work published during the last 20 years on the knowledge and use of biodiversity by traditional peoples in Brazil... More »

National Contacts

Full details of national contacts »

Convention on Biological Diversity

Mr. Saulo Arantes Ceolin	CBD Primary NFP, ICNP ABS NFP
H.E. Mr. Jorge D'Escragnolle Taunay Filho	CBD Primary NFP
Mr. Gustavo Martinelli	GSPC NFP
Dra. Rafaela Campostrini Forzza	GTI NFP
Mr. David Conway Oren	GTI NFP
Mr. Eduardo Couto Dalcin	CHM Informal Advisory Committee
Mrs. Ana Paula Leite Prates	Protected Areas NFP

Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety

Mr. Saulo Arantes Ceolin	Cartagena Protocol Primary NFP
Mr. Davi de Oliveira Paiva Bonavides	BCH NFP