Environment Minister Silva warns: Pantanal faces threat of extinction

At a public hearing before the Senate Environment Committee on Wednesday (Sep. 4), Brazil's Minister for the Environment and Climate Change, Marina Silva, warned that climate change could result in severe losses, including the potential disappearance of the Pantanal biome. Silva urged Congress to establish a regulatory framework for climate emergencies, considering the 1,942 municipalities facing extreme climate risk.

The minister was invited to clarify the federal government's response to the escalating forest fires and burn-offs affecting various biomes, particularly the Amazon, Cerrado, and Pantanal regions. Marina Silva warned that the Pantanal, the smallest and a critical biodiversity sanctuary among Brazil's biomes, is at risk of disappearing if current trends persist.

“Researchers warn that if current trends continue, we could lose the Pantanal by the end of this century. This phenomenon—characterized by low rainfall, high evapotranspiration, and failure to reach flood levels in both the rivers and the floodplain—poses a severe threat,” stated the minister.

Data from the National Institute for Space Research (Inpe) revealed 68,300 fires in August this year, marking a 144 percent increase compared to the same period in 2023.

Marina Silva at a public hearing before the Senate Environment Committee - Lula Marques/ Agência Brasil

Budget

In the Senate, Marina Silva denied claims that her ministry would face budget cuts for initiatives like combating the fires ravaging Brazil. She emphasized the need for evidence-based public policies and collaborative efforts with the private sector. Silva also highlighted that without the current government's efforts to reduce deforestation last year and in 2024, the situation would be "incomparably worse."

She highlighted the achievements of the Action Plan for the Prevention and Control of Deforestation in the Legal Amazon (PPCDAm) and the Cerrado (PPCerrado), including the anticipated increase in firefighters to 3,000 and the recently launched Ecological Transformation Plan.

Senator Leila Barros (Democratic Labor Party - Federal District), President of the Senate Environment Committee, stated that the fires devastating the Brazilian territory are a direct reflection of the climate emergency the country is facing.

“There is a new normal unfolding before us, and we have less time each day to adapt to this situation. (...) Alongside this climate emergency, we are also grappling with other internal challenges,” said Barros.

She highlighted the actions of organized criminal networks that have expanded their control over land and noted that Parliament played a crucial role by approving the National Policy for Integrated Fire Management.

* Based on information from Brazil’s Senate News Agency