Pantanal Conservation Area

On 16 March 2021, the World Heritage Centre sent a letter to the State Party requesting information on significant wildfires that affected the property. On 23 April 2021, the State Party submitted a report on the state of conservation of the property available at http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/999/documents/, reporting the following:

• A comprehensive assessment of the wildfires and their impact on the Outstanding Universal Value (OUV) of the property has not yet been possible considering the dimensions and complexities of the Pantanal biome, the extent of the fires and sanitary conditions impacting interagency coordination;
• The Pantanal biome has been affected by severe drought since 2019, resulting in wildfires from both natural and anthropogenic causes and resulting in negative impact on biodiversity, climate and the local economy. Prolonged drought has led to a reduction in water levels of the usually flooded region and its rivers, exacerbating fires. Fires are a natural phenomenon in the biome;
• The area impacted by fires between 1 January and 15 November 2020 in the Pantanal biome, which includes the property, was estimated as 4.350.000 hectares, approximately 32% of the biome;
• Reptiles and amphibians were among the most affected groups of vertebrates. Potentially threatened bird species include hyacinth macaws (Anodorhynchus hyacinthinus), “cujubi” (Aburria cujubi) and the brown-bellied backdaw (Penelope ochrogaster) which may face future impacts of water scarcity, food and shelter. Terrestrial mammals that rely on forest and arboreal zones have also been impacted;
• Extreme fires, including “crown fires” in the forest canopy, have damaged sensitive forest areas and dry organic soils have enabled long-lasting underground fires;
• Federal, State and Municipal government authorities have worked together for more than four months, in collaboration with the private sector, NGOs and volunteers to respond to the fires. The Chico Mendes Institute (ICMBio) mobilised around 350 experts and fire-fighting infrastructure, and military aircraft dropped water in impacted areas;
• To speed the recovery of impacted areas, increase fire-fighting capacity and prevent future fires, ICMBio is undertaking several research activities including impact evaluation, future prevention and establishing new partnerships, amounting in a new national strategy which will help minimise the impact of future fires and advance recovery of damaged areas.

Recognizing that fire is a natural phenomenon of the Pantanal biome, it is of concern that severe drought conditions since 2019 have resulted in wildfires that led to a negative impact on biodiversity, climatic conditions and the local economy, and it is highly concerning that in 2020 wildfires impacted 4.350.000 hectares, around 32% of the wider Pantanal biome, which includes the property.

Whilst acknowledging that the property represents only a comparatively small part of the biome and that it has not yet been possible to determine the specific impact of the wildfires on the property and its OUV, it is concerning that various species of flora and fauna within the biome have been affected, including sensitive forest areas and threatened species that are important attributes of its OUV. It is therefore recommended that the Committee request the State Party to assess the impacts of the wildfires on the OUV of the property and to submit a report to the World Heritage Centre for review when available.

The reported response measures taken at various levels of government in collaboration with ICMBio, the private sector, NGOs and volunteers to directly address the wildfires, assess impacts and strengthen future fire-fighting capacity as part of a new national strategy to help minimise the impact of future fires and advance recovery of damaged areas, are welcomed. Noting also the potential for climate change to further exacerbate extreme weather conditions, such as drought and resulting wildfires, it is recommended that the State Party actively continue measures to address the wildfires, assess impacts and strengthen appropriate management responses including fire prevention and mitigation measures, and to facilitate the recovery of impacted fauna and flora that constitute part of the OUV.

Recognising that other World Heritage properties have also recently been affected by fire (see Section II.F of Document WHC/21/44.COM/7), the State Party is encouraged to exchange knowledge on fire management strategies in natural World Heritage properties with other States Parties facing similar threats.