Semas participates in the presentation of a strategic report on the Amazon River Mouth
The study gathers proposals to expand scientific knowledge and strengthen biodiversity protection in the region
The Government of Pará, through the State Secretariat for Environment, Climate and Sustainability (Semas), participated this Wednesday (20) in the presentation of the report "Strategic Scenarios for Expanding Scientific Knowledge and Protecting Biodiversity at the Mouth of the Amazon River," held at the Research Campus of the Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi in Belém. The document gathers guidelines and strategies to ensure greater protection for the biodiversity of the ecoregion, considered of global importance.
The initiative is led by the Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi (MPEG) in partnership with the Institute of Advanced Studies of the University of São Paulo (IEA-USP), bringing together experts from different institutions in Pará, Amapá, Maranhão, and São Paulo, as well as representatives of traditional peoples and communities through the National Commission for Strengthening Extractive Reserves (CONFREM).
Commitment to science and environmental protection
During the program, the Deputy Secretary for Environmental Management and Regularity of Semas, Rodolpho Zahluth Bastos, highlighted the strategic role of the study. “I want to congratulate the Museu Emílio Goeldi, the Institute of Advanced Studies of USP, and all the researchers involved in the preparation of this important report, which serves as a guiding document for public action in favor of advancing scientific knowledge in the Amazon. May it also be a reference document for funding entities that support the protection of Amazonian ecosystems, based on the science produced in the region itself,” he stated.
The Mouth of the Amazon River is recognized as an essential ecoregion for climate regulation and global carbon exchange processes, being the meeting point of the largest river system in the world with the Atlantic Ocean.
Proposed strategies
The report, coordinated by MPEG researcher Maria Emília da Cruz Sales and IEA-USP professor José Pedro de Oliveira Costa, presents 18 strategies aimed at integrating environmental conservation, sustainable development, and social inclusion. Among the proposals is the creation of a Mosaic of Marine Protected Areas, as a way to ensure the safety of traditional communities and local biodiversity.
“The report aims to articulate scientific knowledge, conservation, and social inclusion. The participation of the State of Pará, through Semas, was fundamental in this process, which has been monitored from the beginning,” emphasized José Pedro.
The document is the result of two major seminars held in Belém and São Paulo, which brought together more than 1,500 participants, including researchers, public managers, and representatives of civil society.
For Alexander Turra, a professor at the Oceanographic Institute of USP, the collective construction is the differential of the initiative. “I was part of the group that prepared the report with proposals to promote the sustainable development of the region. This process depends on the involvement of all actors, especially the State of Pará, which has a development agenda strengthened by structured public policies. It is essential to integrate these efforts into a comprehensive vision, so that future scenarios are faced jointly and transformatively,” he assessed.
The complete report is available on the official website of the Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi.
Text: Vinicius Silva and Jamille Leão/ Ascom Semas
