On April 27 and 28, 2023, a meeting was held with the members of the Scientific Committee to present the final results of the “Rapid Assessment of Biological Diversity and Ecosystem Services in the Amazon Basin/Region”. The coordinating authors of the Assessment were also in attendance to present the scope, results, main findings, and information gaps for each chapter of the Technical Document of the Assessment, including the Summary for Decision Makers. The objective of the meeting was to obtain feedback from the members of the Scientific Committee regarding the contents of the Assessment and to obtain their support for its final editing and publication.
The meeting was organized under the leadership of the Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization (ACTO) and with the support of the Alexander von Humboldt Institute of Colombia and the ACTO Biomaz Project of GIZ.
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- Photo: Screenshot of the meeting (Day 2)
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- Photo: Screenshot of the meeting (Day 1)
In order to understand better the state and trends of biodiversity and ecosystem services in the Amazon Region, as well as their interrelationships, opportunities, and the effectiveness of responses to current threats, ACTO coordinated a group of 118 experts from the Amazonian countries to develop a Rapid Assessment on the state of biodiversity and ecosystem services in the region from 2021-2023. The Assessment followed the methodology and conceptual framework of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), based on the compilation of scientific evidence and other knowledge systems, including traditional knowledge of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities.
After both documents of the Assessment were developed by the authors under the guidance and direction of the chapter coordinators, a second version was completed at the end of 2022. These versions were made available in English and Spanish for comments from external experts worldwide, including those from the eight (8) ACTO member countries (Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, Suriname, and Venezuela). They were reviewed, systematized, and adjusted, resulting in the final documents, which were presented at the April 27-28 meeting to the Assessment’s Scientific Committee.
It is expected that this important Assessment along with its products and results will provide strategic inputs to deliver relevant, timely, and rigorous information for decision-making, strengthening the science-policy-society interface with the aim of directing appropriate processes of sustainable development in the region and contributing to the implementation of effective public policies, based on findings, scientific, and technical data for decision-makers and other social actors related to the sustainable management of biodiversity.
It should be noted that this Rapid Assessment has allowed for progress in some substantial considerations that mark differential and value-added elements, complementing other research and information and knowledge generation exercises on biodiversity and ecosystem services in the Amazon Region. Additionally, the work and dedication of all those who have collaborated in this process are recognized.
The ACTO-Biomaz Project supports the ACTO Biodiversity Program under the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) framework in Latin America. For more information, please visit: http://otca.org/ctp_otca_projetos/proyecto-otca-biomaz/
