Mongabay · Climate & nature

Paraguay Submits Chaco Biosphere Reserve Information to UN

Paraguay has submitted updated information to the United Nations regarding the Chaco Biosphere Reserve, a critical area facing deforestation threats to Indigenous communities. The country met the September deadline set by UNESCO.

The reserve, covering 7.5 million hectares of one of the world's largest tropical dry forests, is threatened by extensive farming and cattle ranching. This expansion endangers the Ayoreo-Totobiegosode, the last uncontacted Indigenous group in South America outside the Amazon, who live in voluntary isolation.

Established in 2001 and expanded in 2011, the reserve was included in UNESCO's Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Program in 2005. The program aims for biodiversity conservation and sustainable development, emphasizing the relationship between people and their environment.

Critics argue that the biosphere reserve designation has not translated into effective regulation or control over human activities, particularly concerning private property within its boundaries. Enforcement of clearing regulations has been questioned.

In 2023, the MAB Program requested Paraguay to develop a management plan and define buffer and transition zones, stressing the inclusion of Indigenous communities in governance and territorial management.

Paraguay submitted the required information by the deadline. However, neither Paraguay nor the MAB program has shared specific details, citing an ongoing internal review process expected to conclude in 2027.

The future designation of the reserve hinges on demonstrated progress in effective management, stakeholder inclusion, and adherence to MAB criteria, according to UNESCO.

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