Conservações e áreas afins - Pôsteres - 30/11/2023 - 15:30 h às 16:30 h

Marine habitats play a crucial role in the health and vitality of the ocean but face numerous threats, such as oil exploration. We analyzed the distribution of oil blocks and their threats to megahabitats, reefs considered priorities for conservation (PAN Corais) and threatened species in the Brazilian Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). Since 1998, a total of 4,793 blocks have been offered, with a significant 64% of them located in marine environments and 544 blocks leased. 16% of the area of the EEZ is covered by blocks, but the representativeness of megahabitats varies. Notably, 95% of the area of megahabitats comprises either soft sediment or hard bottom, whereas cold-water coral, though representing a smaller portion, faces a substantial 62% overlap with the blocks. Also, blocks cover 14% of all mesophotic reefs while only 12% of the soft sediment, which represents 80% of the megahabitats area, overlaps with blocks. We found an average of 29.02 ± 18.65 (mean ± SD) threatened species per cell within the EEZ, but this number increases to 41.89 ± 17.79 within the PAN Corais, which is overlap by 28% of the marine blocks. Our findings emphasize the conflict between oil exploration and the conservation of vital marine habitats and species in Brazil, which is among the top oil producers and consumers globally. We highlight the crucial role of PAN Corais in delimiting areas to safeguard vulnerable species. Brazil is among reached record-breaking production in 2022, with the majority sourced from offshore fields. Further, it is concerning that despite having tools for conserving marine ecosystems and responding to oil spills, it failed to handle oil disasters in 2019. Regardless of these challenges and contrasts, the outcomes of the ongoing exploration dispute in the Amazon River mouth will shape the country's stance in the global energy transition debates.