The Amazon Rainforest is the most biodiverse place on Earth; a verdant landscape of rich flora and fauna that lies within the borders of eight different nations. Each of these countries has a distinct legal system to govern human impact. These legal systems provide the framework within which governments, NGOs, communities, and individuals can work to preserve the globally important ecosystems of the Amazon region.
This database was designed by the Amazon Conservation Association in association with National Geographic as a complement to their interactive map of the Amazon. The database aims to provide a peer-reviewed resource that is representative of key legislation on the most important territorial management and land use, development, and environmental management issues facing the region.
The laws are divided into six categories that correspond with major themes of environmental legislation in the Amazon: Agriculture, Energy & Mining, Forestry, General Environmental Law, Indigenous Populations & Territories, and Protected Areas.
We hope this database will serve as a general overview for interested readers and a starting point for those who wish to conduct deeper research.
By understanding the current legislative context governing the Amazon, we can be better equipped to continue to conserve the greatest rainforest on earth.
BOLIVIA – BRAZIL – COLOMBIA – ECUADOR
GUYANA – PERU – SURINAME – VENEZUELA
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
We are extremely grateful for the tremendous devotion of time and support provided by in-country experts: Juan Carlos Espinosa (Colombia), Charles Hutchinson (WWF, Guyana), Chantal J. Landburg (Environmental Services and Support NV, Suriname), Marco W. Lentini (WWF, Brazil), Juan Loja (ACCA, Peru), Juliana Persaud (WWF, Guyana), Marcos Terán (ACEAA -Bolivia), Matt Terry (Ecuadorian Rivers Institute, Ecuador), Aiesha Williams (WWF, Guyana), and Edgard Yerena (Universidad Simón Bolívar, Venezuela), with additional support from Bart De Dijn (ESS, Suriname) and Lisa Famolare (Guyana) for reviewing and providing the most updated environmental legislation on natural resource management and governance. This database would not have been possible without their guidance and expertise.