Paraguay - Paraná System

Internationally recognized, the Wetland System of the Paraguay - Paraná, located at the South American Central Valley / Sub-Andean depression, embraces the Pantanal, including the wetlands of the Middle and Low Paraguay River, the alluvial valley of the Middle and Low Paraná until the Prata River. It is formed along approximately 3,400 km extension of rivers free of dams, being the worlds' largest fresh water wetland corridor, including territories from Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay, Argentina and Uruguay.

More than 20 million people live in this System including traditional communities, indigenous populations, as well as urban and rural areas. This region has extraordinary ecological and economical values of unique characteristics: high variety of climate, biodiversity, soil quality, water resources and cultural diversity are just some aspects that can be highlighted.
 
Many areas along this System are already recognized as Ramsar Sites and Biosphere Reserves.

Due to its international importance and natural interconnection, this System offers an unique opportunity to establish a planning for development, based on sustainability.

Although the conservation and integrity of Paraguay-Parana Wetlands is imperative, currently several pressures are affecting the area with negative consequences for the System functions and its populations.

Some of the major problems and threats for the region are: the expansion of the cattle ranching frontier; deforestation, contamination of the rivers with pesticides and fertilizers; sedimentation and erosion of the fluvial channels; inadequate technologies for natural resources management; increasing of proposals for hydropower plants; burnings; industrial navigation which jeopardizes the natural flood pulse; industrial plants for metallurgy with high pollution risks, as well as other infra-structural mega-projects.

Also, there are several social issues that aggravate these problems, such as: income concentration; lack of public policies and adequate proposals to improve the local livelihoods of traditional communities and indigenous populations; social exclusion; urban explosion and the over exploitation of natural resources.

The last decades saw major flooding phenomena's related to reduction of soil absorption capacity and the amount and speed increase of the water flow. Regarding climate changes, it has also being registered the increased of the effects of "El Nino". Hydrological System and water quality are suffering significant changes seriously threatening human population, fauna and flora.

This scenario highlights the urgency of a new and creative integration among the involved countries, relying on sustainable bases for guaranteeing social and economical development for the people from the Wetland System. An integrate program must be elaborated, taking in account the cultural and ecological equilibrium of the System.