What is the Corredor Azul programme?

Corredor Azul is a ten-year programme led by Wetlands International and funded by DOB Ecology. Its vision is that unique biodiversity and the well-being of millions of people living along the Corredor Azul are safeguarded by a healthy and connected wetland system. We expect that by the end of this programme some 1 million hectares of wetlands will be under sustainable management, and production in 300,000 hectares will be guided by best production practices that avoid wetland degradation and loss.

Where is it implemented?

At 3,400 km in length, the Corredor Azul encompasses the fourth largest wetland system in the world, the heart of which is the Paraná River and the Paraguay River in South America. Our initial pilots are in the Pantanal in Brazil, the Ibera Marshes and the Paraná Delta in Argentina.

Why safeguard these wetlands?

Beyond the natural beauty and uniqueness of this river system’s land and water habitats, its natural functioning is also vital for the future resilience of the region. One hundred and twenty-eight million people in South America depend on this system’s health. If rivers are dammed and tamed, benefits such as maintaining freshwater and food supplies for rural and urban areas will disappear.

Without change, governments and private interests may further follow short-term socio-economic ends, which we believe would bring about a severe degradation of the region’s biodiversity and environmental security within a couple of decades. Amongst other things, this would result in a dramatic increase in the risk of catastrophic floods affecting people and property, the loss of biological and economic productivity, and threats to local food and income security.

Header image by Valentin Manieri.