On March 22nd, when World Water Day is celebrated, the Institute for Society, Population and Nature (ISPN) joins partner organizations in reinforcing an urgent warning: the Cerrado biome, responsible for supplying a large part of Brazilian territory, is losing its water.
As part of the Cerrado, Heart of the Waters campaign, a mobilization will take place in Brasília (DF), on the Eixão do Lazer (near 204 Norte), starting at 10:30 am. The program includes a round table discussion on the strategic role of the biome in water security and a poster-making workshop (pasting posters with the campaign logo) open to the public.
The event brings together various socio-environmental organizations such as ISPN, Instituto Cerrados, Rede Cerrado, Funatura, IPAM, IEB and WWF-Brasil, with the aim of broadening the public debate on the importance of the Cerrado as a true "heart of the waters," responsible for feeding major river basins in the country.
Cerrado under pressure
Recent data highlights the seriousness of the situation. Study conducted by researcher Yuri Salmona (UnB) analyzed 81 river basins in the Cerrado biome between 1985 and 2022 and identified a reduction in flow in 88% of them. According to the Environmental, a science and data-driven journalism agencyThis would be equivalent to emptying 30 Olympic-sized swimming pools of water per minute since the 1970s. Projections indicate a loss of up to 35% of the biome's water reserves by 2050.
The main cause is associated with changes in land use, especially deforestation and the expansion of the agricultural frontier. According to data from MapBiomas, more than 50% of the native vegetation of the Cerrado has already been suppressed.
Among the most critical cases is the São Francisco River basin, whose minimum safe flow has halved in recent decades. The replacement of native vegetation with monocultures and pastures has a direct impact on water recharge and river maintenance.
Furthermore, the intensive use of water for irrigation – which accounts for more than half of the national water consumption, according to the National Water Agency – further increases the pressure on available resources.
Contamination and social impacts
The scarcity scenario is aggravated by water contamination. The intensive use of pesticides in the Cerrado directly affects water quality and the health of local populations. Traditional communities, which have historically protected the biome, are among the most impacted. In the Cerrado, 2.600 communities, distributed across 480 municipalities, which play a central role in protecting water and biodiversity.
Reports from areas in western Bahia indicate the disappearance of springs, a reduction in aquifer levels, and an increase in health problems associated with exposure to chemical substances.
Elizete Barreto, a representative of the Fundo e Fecho de Pasto community in Correntina, western Bahia, expresses concern about the death of springs in the region. “Our community has been here for at least 300 years. In the last 50 years, the community has lost 97% of its land to land grabbing and agribusiness companies, and 60 springs have already died,” she states. In addition to the disappearance of the springs, there is also a reduction in the water table level.
“Water is the lifeblood of the earth. Just as we need blood to live, water is what makes life spring forth in the Cerrado. Every tree that is felled and every spring that dies is a little bit of us that ends up drying up too. We think about the lives that depend on that spring, about all the fauna and flora that cease to exist because they lose their source of water,” Elizete adds.
For ISPN, recognizing and protecting the territories of traditional peoples and communities is a fundamental strategy for conserving the Cerrado. These groups are present in thousands of communities and play a central role in protecting water resources and biodiversity.
“From a perspective that values national sovereignty, recognizing the territories of the traditional peoples and communities of the Cerrado is a strategic step towards conserving the biome's biodiversity for the country's water and climate security,” emphasizes Isabel Figueiredo, coordinator of the Cerrado Program.
Serrinha do Paranoá on alert
The campaign also draws attention to the situation of Serrinha do Paranoá, an area located in the Federal District that is home to 119 springs and important remnants of the Cerrado biome. The community is collecting Signatures here for the permanent protection of Serrinha.
The possibility of allocating the area for the purpose of capitalizing the Banco de Brasília, which is involved in the Banco Master corruption case, raises concerns among socio-environmental organizations. The region is part of the Central Plateau Environmental Protection Area and plays a relevant role in the water security of Lake Paranoá.
Cerrado, Heart of the Waters
The Cerrado, Heart of the Waters campaign brings together ISPN, Instituto Cerrados, Rede Cerrado, Funatura, IPAM, IIEB, and WWF-Brazil. The aim is to communicate, in an accessible and engaging way, the centrality of the biome to the country's water balance.
By highlighting the Cerrado as a "heart" that beats and distributes water to different regions, the campaign seeks to raise awareness in society about the urgency of protecting its springs, rivers, and territories.
Service
Roundtable discussion: From the Cerrado to your tap – full protection of the Serrinha do Paranoá
Date: March 22th (Sunday)
Time: 10h30 to 12h
Location: Eixão do Lazer, Choro no Eixo, near 204 Norte – Brasília (DF)
Lambe-lambe workshop – Cerrado, Heart of the Waters
Hours: 12h30 to 13h30
Same place
The event is open to the public and invites everyone to reflect on the role of the Cerrado in guaranteeing water, both today and in the future.