The National Atlantic Forest Day, celebrated today, May 27th, was marked last weekend with the 10th edition of the “Long Live the Forest: National Meeting for the Atlantic Forest” in Ibirapuera Park, São Paulo. Attendees had the opportunity to participate in Seminars to debate various issues relevant to the biome.

ICLEI – Local Governments for Sustainability participated in the Seminar held on 24 May, represented by Sophia Picarelli, Project Coordinator, responsible for ICLEI's Urban Biodiversity Management programme, on the Panel “Monitoring the Convention on Biological Diversity Targets/National Biodiversity Targets”.

During the presentation, Sophia emphasised the need for strengthening and the benefits of greater coordination and alignment in biodiversity planning among the three levels of government: federal, state, and municipal. She also highlighted that local and subnational governments are key actors in national efforts to implement the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020 and the Aichi Targets, and that relevant pilot initiatives can be disseminated and scaled up at the national level.

The meeting also included the presence of the National Secretary for Biodiversity and Forests of the MMA, the President of the National Council of the Atlantic Forest Biosphere Reserve, and the Secretary-General of ABEMA.

Discover our programme Urban Biodiversity Management

For more information, please visit Long live the Forest 2014