Brazil biodiversity will have unified information network

Brazil should be structured in a maximum of five years, a network of biodiversity information. The intention is to bring together in one system, all information gathered on the subject throughout the country by different institutions.

The project is initiated by the Ministry of Science and Technology (MCT), but also include aggregate data on biodiversity and ecosystems Brazilian ministries such as Health (MOH), Agriculture (MAPA), Environment (MMA), Planning (MPOG ), Education (MEC) and the Navy of Brazil, is responsible for the coastal zone and continental shelf and associated biodiversity. The project is budgeted at U.S. $ 28 million of this total, $ 8 million will be financed by the Global Environment Facility (GEF acronym in English) and the remaining $ 20 million, by MCT.

According to the coordinator David Oren, General Coordination of the Management of Ecosystems and Biodiversity of the MCT, the project was considered a pioneer by international bodies such as the GEF, an institution linked to the Environment Programme of United Nations (UNEP / UN) by focusing not only on academics and researchers, but also in administration.

"Our main goal is to collect the information produced by different institutions on Brazilian biodiversity, and so we set up a network. But more than that, translating that data into a simpler language so that public managers can make use of the network for the implementation of public policies, "emphasizes Oren. "Today there are several systems with information on biodiversity, but are not integrated," he adds.

For Oren, decision makers Brazilians accessing strategic information that will support the development and implementation of policy decisions and strategic planning. "This enables executives to make better choices about the use and conservation of biodiversity of global importance in Brazil," he says.

The project has a term of five years to run. In the first year, we will identify which institutions can serve as data providers. Moreover, the principal demands that such a network may also be asked to solve as prerequisites. "The first steps of the project will be to identify the institution managing the information. Who will be counted and translate the data? That is a question we have to respond right away. Moreover, most of the hardware must be properly scaled. The National Network of Education and Research Network (RNP / MCT) quite advanced to link the information points at the national level, but in the Western Amazon remains the ideal connectivity. We must also define the type of software that'll work, "he says.

Biodiversity

Brazil is considered one of the richest countries in biodiversity. It represents about 13% of all terrestrial biota of the planet, with more than 200 000 described species. Moreover, it is estimated that many other species have not yet been reported, especially in the vast Amazon rainforest. Actual figures for the total species richness were estimated between 1.4 and 2.4 million species. The marine environment is also home to many unknown organisms.