ICMBio reduces civil society participation in endangered species protection plan

A change in Normative Instruction 21 (12/18/10) published by the environmental agency ICMBio altered the rules of the National Action Plans for the Conservation of Endangered Species, weakening the participation of civil society in the process.

According to an article on the O Eco website, the Technical Advisory Groups (GAT), created to evaluate and monitor the action plans and that previously had members from academia, NGOs and civil society associations, will now have “only public agents of the federal public administration up to a limit of five members,” says the article. The text also mentions possible “guests” in the composition, but does not clarify how this choice will be made, nor if the participation of academics and members of civil society will be mandatory or optional.