Protected Areas

2010 Biodiversity Target(including Monitoring & Indicators)The National Commission on Biodiversity(CONABIO) held its 20th meeting inthe form of a Seminar for the Definitionof National Biodiversity Targets for2010, on October 24 and 25 of 2006.The CONABIO is a collegiate body of adeliberative and consultative nature andwhich coordinates the implementationof commitments made by the country inthe scope of the Convention on BiologicalDiversity, as well as the principles andguidelines of the National Policy onBiodiversity.To the seminar, specialists were invitedto present the situation of Brazilianbiodiversity, according to the UnitedNation’s Pressure-State-Response modeland by making the best use of studiesand surveys funded by the Probio Projectand other available studies. All Conabiomembers, as well as about 30 speakers,other specialists from academia and civilsociety, and technicians from differentdepartments of the MMA and associatedinstitutions were invited to participate.This Seminar’s main objective wasto subsidize decision-making for thedefinition of national targets for thereduction of rates on biodiversity losses,correlated to the global targets definedin the CBD’s Strategic Plans for 2010(Decisions VI/26, VII/30 and VIII/15).Monitoring, Assessment andIndicatorsVegetation Cover Maps of the BrazilianBiomesThe vegetation is one of the mostimportant biota components, since itsconservation and connectivity statusdefines the existence of habitats forspecies, the maintenance of ecosystemservices, or even the provision of goodsthat are essential for the survival ofhuman communities. Sound knowledgeon the current status of the vegetationcover in Brazil is therefore fundamentalto establish environmental public policiesin the country, such as the identificationof conservation opportunities, thesustainable use of Brazilian biodiversity,and benefit sharing.Due to changes in the occupationpattern of the Brazilian territory, primarilymotivated by the strong inland focusof the last three decades, the existing45