This analysis of scenarios offers a set of hypothetical sequences of events developed so as to draw our attention to causal processes and decision points in the medium term (2030) and long term (2050). “A scenario is a possible course of events that leads to a certain state of the world, an image of the future,” explained Gallopín, and added: “The scenario is the film and the image of the future is the photo.” Gilberto Gallopín expressed gratitude for all the teamwork that made the study possible and explained how the analysis of scenarios was developed based on two deadlines: the years 20, two years internationally agreed upon as milestones for sustainable development. Its sustainability is at stake due to a group of factors, processes and trends which operate nowadays on a territorial level, affecting its future health and integrity. This wetland macrosystem means immense biodiversity, as well as resources and services which are beneficial to the quality of life of its dwellers. The large floodplain of these rivers constitutes a continuum of wetlands stretching from north to south, from the Pantanal in Brazil to the Paraná Delta in Argentina.
It connects nature, people and economies throughout its 3,400 kilometers. The corridor of wetlands connected by the axis of rivers Paraná-Paraguay is one of the largest fluvial wetland systems in the world. Gastón Fulquet and Rafaela Nicola, coordinators of the Corredor Azul Programme, highlighted the importance of working bilaterally and in teams in order to preserve the connectivity of those ecosystems and foster sustainable development in the area of the Paraná-Paraguay Fluvial Corridor. In turn, Florencia Gómez referred to the strategic importance of the care and preservation of wetlands, and underlined the necessity of having a Wetland Inventory of the whole country. The event revolved around the Paraná-Paraguay Corridor, which “represents the largest and most important wetland surface in our country”, stated Rubén Quintana, and emphasised that this work is a great tool for decision‑makers to bear in mind when developing public policies. Present at the launch were officials from the ministries of Environment and Sustainable Development both of the Argentine Republic and Buenos Aires Province, as well as officials from the ministries of Science and Technology, of Tourism and Sports, and of the National Office of the Ombudsman members of the National Parks Service, the Committee of La Plata Basin, universities and other civil society organisations. It was attended remotely from Brazil by Jaime Elías Verruck, Secretary of Environment, Economic Development, Production and Family Farming of the State of Mato Grosso do Sul and Rafaela Nicola, Executive Director of Wetlands International Brazil. The launch was attended in person by Rubén Quintana, President of Fundación Humedales/Wetlands International Florencia Gómez, Secretary of the Department of Environmental Policy and Natural Resources, National Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development and Gastón Fulquet, Coordinator of the Corredor Azul Programme. On 16 November, 2021, we launched our latest release, Escenarios alternativos para el futuro del Corredor Paraná-Paraguay y sus sistemas de humedales: Pantanal, Esteros del Iberá y Delta del Paraná ( In English: Alternative scenarios for the future of the Paraná-Paraguay Corridor and its wetland systems: Pantanal, Iberá marshes and the Paraná Delta) at the Dome of Centro Cultural Kirchner. This work by renowned biologist Gilberto Gallopín, PhD, is based on studies by more than 40 researchers from Argentina and Brazil and was written for the Wetlands International Corredor Azul Programme. Protecting and preserving these ecosystems is vital to mitigate the effects of climate change. This work, written by the renowned biologist Gilberto Gallopín, is based on studies by 40 researchers from Argentina and Brazil, and it considers complex future scenarios for the Paraná-Paraguay wetlands. Our latest publication, “Escenarios alternativos para el futuro del Corredor Paraná-Paraguay y sus sistemas de humedales: Pantanal, Esteros del Iberá y Delta del Paraná”, was launched at the Centro Cultural Kirchner in Buenos Aires last month. Please note, the original article is published in Spanish and can be found here.