The Fourth edition of the Global Biodiversity Outlook (GBO-4), a periodic summary of the latest data on the status and trends of biodiversity, including an assessment of progress towards the Aichi Biodiversity Targets, has been translated into Portuguese. Jon Hutton, Director of UNEP-WCMC, and Matt Walpole, Director of Programmes at UNEP-WCMC, attended the launch of this translation at an event held at UN House in Brasilia, Brazil.

The launch event was opened by UNEP’s Brazil Representative, Denise Hamú, and attended by Lídio Coradin, Project Manager for the Secretary of Biodiversity and Forests, Ministry of Environment, Brazil, and representatives of several other institutions. Braulio Ferreira de Souza Dias, Executive Secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity spoke via a video message in which he emphasized the significance of translating GBO-4 into Portuguese and thus making it more accessible to Portuguese-speaking researchers and decision makers worldwide.

Braulio Ferreira de Souza Dias continued, “While progress is being made, we need to intensify our efforts to achieve the goals by 2020. Fortunately, GBO-4 also concludes that the compliance with the Plan is within reach if strategic actions that simultaneously meet the multiple biodiversity laws are taken in a consistent and coherent way. An example of this type of approach is Brazil’s fight to dramatically reduce deforestation in the Amazon rainforest.”

The launch coincided with a visit to Brazil made by Jon Hutton, Matt Walpole and Will Banham, UNEP-WCMC’s Head of Capacity Development, to discuss progress and opportunities in UNEP-WCMC’s growing support to the UNEP Brazil office. Established in 2014, the relationship is part of a wider programme of our support to UNEP’s strategic presence worldwide.