MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Brazil's Lençóis Maranhenses Park a World Heritage Site, UNESCO rules

The Lençóis Maranhenses Park is located about 250 kilometers from São Luís, capital of the State of Maranhão

The United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Friday declared Brazil's Lençóis Maranhenses National Park a World Natural Heritage Site, making it the South American country's eighth such place, Agencia Brasil reported. The announcement was made during the UNESCO World Heritage Committee session in New Delhi, India. The application dossier had been submitted in 2018.

The Lençóis Maranhenses Park is located about 250 kilometers from São Luís, capital of the State of Maranhão. Created over 40 years ago, it remains the largest dune field in South America, covering 155,000 hectares, where crystal-clear lagoons emerge between the white dunes during the rainy season.

UNESCO's decision was a great achievement for the State, Maranhão Governor Carlos Brandão posted on X. “Without a doubt, this recognition will strengthen tourism and the preservation of this natural treasure of Maranhão. I thank the members of the Heritage Committee for their approval,” he wrote.

Among the requirements met by the park to win the title were its natural beauty, the significant geological features, and habitats for the conservation of biodiversity, including endangered species.

Brazil has now seven World Natural Heritage sites: the Iguaçu National Park, in Rio Grande do Sul; the Atlantic Forest reserves, in São Paulo and Paraná; the Discovery Coast, in Bahia and Espírito Santo; the Central Amazon and Pantanal Protected Areas; the Chapada dos Veadeiros and the Emas National Park, in Goiás; and the Fernando de Noronha archipelago, which includes the Atol das Rocas.

UNESCO Director-General Audrey Azoulay congratulated Brazil on the new status of the National Park. “Thanks to this application, this impressive landscape of dunes and lagoons, shaped by exceptional climatic and geological conditions, will benefit from the highest level of international protection. This is the 24th Brazilian site to be registered on the UNESCO World Heritage List. I would like to congratulate Brazil's commitment to protecting its cultural and natural heritage.”

Earlier this week, the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), presided over by the Brazilian Ilan Goldfajn, and Brazilian public banks launched the initiative of a new fund for Amazon to be created COP 30. Joining the IDB initiative were the National Bank for Economic and Social Development (BNDES), Banco do Brasil (BB), and Caixa Econômica Federal. The plan is to establish an Exchange Traded Fund (ETF) and distribute its shares before COP 30, which will take place in Belém, Brazil, in November 2025.

ETFs, which originated in the United States between the 1980s and 1990s, are a type of investment now widespread in global capital markets. The proposal suggests that trading will occur on the São Paulo Stock Exchange, also known as B3. The ETF's investment portfolio will be made up of fixed-income securities issued by BNDES, BB, and Caixa. The return offered to investors will be based on a reference index to be created. All the funds raised by the three institutions will be allocated to loans for sustainable actions in the Amazon.

The announcement was made by leaders from the involved financial institutions during the 3rd G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Presidents meeting in Rio de Janeiro. This is another key initiative within the intense program of the Brazilian G20 presidency.