News about water rationing has already made the headlines in several states in Brazil, such as São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and now Brasília. A range of studies from the Federal University of Goiás, the University of Brasília, the Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul and Brown University (published in the scientific journal Global Change Biology in 2016) indicate that deforestation in the Cerrado is one of the causes of this crisis. This is because the biomass is considered to be the source of waters – the three large aquifers that supply a good part of the country, the Guarani, Urucuia and Bambuí, are located in the Cerrado.
The Cerrado occupies a quarter of our national territory and is located in the heart of Brazil, covering 13 states. Despite its importance for environmental equilibrium, in recent decades the Cerrado has been destroyed by the expansion of agri-business and for large developments; more than 50% of its vegetation has already been cleared.
Brazilian legislation does not guarantee full protection to the Cerrado. Only 11% of the Cerrado is covered by reserves or conservation units, compared to almost 50% of the Amazon. While a landowner is obliged to protect 80% of the forest if their land falls within the Amazon region, in the Cerrado, this percentage is only 35%. In other words, authorized, legal deforestation is much more common.
In order to alert society to this and other impacts, 43 organizations and social movements have come together to launch the National Campaign in Defence of the Cerrado. The campaign seeks to value biodiversity and the culture of the peoples and communities of the Cerrado, who are fighting for its preservation. Water is the current campaign slogan (No Cerrado, no water, no life) in order to reinforce the Cerrado’s central role in supplying the country’s water.
The campaign includes activities planned to take place over the next two years. As well as providing visibility to the biomass, it seeks to promote the visibility of the traditional peoples and communities that live in the Cerrado region, who have historically lived in harmony with the environment. These organizations are also seeking to bring to the political table debate about the Cerrado’s great importance to our National Heritage and to demand political agreement in order to halt deforestation.
Organizations promoting the Campaign
Associação União das Aldeias Apinajés/PEMPXÀ – ActionAid Brasil – CNBB/Pastorais Sociais – Agência 10envolvimento – APA/TO – ANQ – AATR/BA – ABRA – APIB – CPT – CONTAG – CIMI – CUT/GO – CPP – Cáritas Brasileira – CEBI – CESE – CEDAC – Coletivo de Fundos e Fechos de Pasto do Oeste da Bahia – Comissão da Verdade sobre a Escravidão Negra do DF – CONAQ – FASE – FBSSAN – FETAET – FETAEMA – CONTRAF-BRASIL/FETRAF – Gwatá/UEG – IBRACE – ISPN – MJD – MIQCB – MPP – MMC – MPA – MST – MAB – MOPIC – SPM – Rede Cerrado – Redessan – Rede Social de Direitos Humanos – Rede de Agroecologia do Maranhão – TIJUPA – Via Campesina – FIAN Brasil.