September 1, 2025

An event in Brasília, attended by more than 360 people, celebrated the network’s 10th anniversary and open science; maps show four decades of profound changes across Brazil

MapBiomas’ 10th Collection of annual land cover and land use maps was launched in Brasília on August 13, during the 10th Annual MapBiomas Seminar. Covering the period from 1985 to 2024, the data show 40 years of profound transformations across Brazil, including the loss of natural areas and the expansion of agriculture and livestock farming. Among the new features of the collection is the mapping of photovoltaic power plants, which are concentrated mainly in the Caatinga 

The seminar also celebrated the network’s 10th anniversary and featured moments highlighting MapBiomas’ history. A panel displaying a timeline of the network’s key milestones was set up in the reception area of the event venue, the Ulysses Guimarães Convention Center. The launch was attended by over 360 people and was also streamed on YouTube, reaching a peak of over 200 concurrent views.

There was also a presentation of the new MapBiomas platform, featuring functionalities and the use of artificial intelligence that make the user experience faster and easier. The MapBiomas team and partners also discussed the new features being prepared for the coming months. 

Discussions were held with experts from partner organizations, and Ana Toni, CEO of COP 30, opened the event with remarks on the relationship between land use and the climate agenda 

At the end, photographer Luciano Candisani presented a project he carried out in the Pantanal during a talk that inspired reflections on the relationship between nature and society.   

See how the launch went here. 

Opening: The Significance of MapBiomas’ Creation

The seminar’s opening addressed the importance of an initiative like MapBiomas, built on open and collaborative science. Tasso Azevedo, the network’s general coordinator, led the session. Paulo Artaxo, a physics professor at the University of São Paulo, highlighted the network’s contribution to academia. 

“With MapBiomas, scientists have a free tool that allows them to conduct research using only a laptop and contribute, for example, to environmental conservation projects,” said Artaxo, who is also a member of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). “MapBiomas will become even more important given the challenges Brazil will face in achieving net-zero emissions and developing consistent public policies based on established scientific tools,” he concluded. 

For Andreas Dahl Jorgensen, director of the Norwegian International Climate and Forest Initiative (NICFI), which supported the creation of MapBiomas, the network was, from the outset, “a bold idea.” He highlighted MapBiomas’ approach, which is open and inclusive, involving civil society, governments, and the private sector, while always seeking out opportunities and technologies. “Without a doubt, one of the most impactful initiatives we’ve invested in over the past 16 years,” he said. 

Also participating in the opening was Débora Passos, director of Strategy and Governance at the Arapyaú Institute, the organization that housed MapBiomas’ administrative and financial structure prior to the creation of the MapBiomas Support Institute (IAMAP).

 “The MapBiomas model reinforces something Arapyaú believes in: that no one does anything alone. If we truly want change, we need to do this collectively, think together, and co-create.”

40 years of profound transformations in the territory

The first session of the seminar addressed methods and highlights from Collection 10, which show profound transformations that have occurred over the last four decades in the country, including the loss of natural areas and the expansion of agriculture and livestock. Check out some of them: 

• From 1985 to 2024, Brazil lost an average of 2.9 million hectares of natural areas per year, totaling a reduction of 111.7 million hectares during that period. 
• Forest cover was the type of native vegetation that lost the most area: a reduction of 62.8 million hectares (-15%).
• Pasture and agriculture were the land uses that expanded the most. The area of pasture grew by 62.7 million hectares (+68%) and that of agriculture by 44 million hectares (+236%).
• In 1985, 420 municipalities were predominantly agricultural; by 2024, that number had jumped to 1,037. 
• Floodplains covered 84 million hectares, or nearly 10% of the national territory, in 1985; by 2024, they covered 74 million hectares (8.8% of Brazil). 
• The growth in areas occupied by photovoltaic power plants began in 2016, with 822 hectares; by 2024, this area had already reached 35,300 hectares. 

  See more highlights from Collection 10 here. 

The main new features of the collection were also highlighted: the new photovoltaic power plant class; mapping of aquaculture in Brazilian states that are not on the coast; improvements to the coastal and shallow reef class; refinement of the “other non-vegetated areas” class in the Amazon; inclusion of herbaceous sandbanks in the Caatinga; and revision of the concept of rocky outcrops and the inclusion of this class for the Pantanal. 

Also during the same session, Claudio Padua, co-founder of the Institute for Ecological Research (IPÊ), and Marcelo Maranhão, technical advisor to the IGBE’s Geosciences Directorate, spoke about their experiences in understanding changes in the territories and the role of MapBiomas. 

Padua explained IPÊ’s work in the Pontal do Paranapanema region, in western São Paulo state, where it promotes ecological restoration in conjunction with the black lion tamarin conservation program. MapBiomas data aids in mapping and planning a sustainable landsca 

Maranhão, meanwhile, discussed the cartographic work carried out in the past by the IBGE, which was important for understanding the Brazilian territory. Now, the institute is seeking to integrate the available databases and uses a MapBiomas data layer in this initiative. 

New platform offers greater user convenience

MapBiomas’ new data and mapping platform was presented during the second session of the day by Sergio Oliveira of Ecostage. Navigation on the platform, which was previously based on filters, is now spatial, and maps can also be viewed in 3D.

In addition, a new tool called “Create Your Analysis” has been incorporated, where users can rely on artificial intelligence to generate their own maps. 

The development of the new platform took nearly a year and involved several partner institutions, such as GeoKarten and ArcPlan. In-person meetings with experts from across the country were organized to incorporate new features and innovations. 

The relationship between land use and the climate agenda

Ana Toni, CEO of COP 30, opened the session dedicated to discussing the relationship between land use and climate change. The conference in Belém will feature intense debates on the relationship between climate and nature, as well as on adaptation, and, above all, a focus on implementation, she stated. 

“The key distinction we hope to bring is the theme of solutions. We know there are many solutions to the challenges of combating deforestation or tripling renewable energy. Why aren’t they being implemented at scale?” 

Ane Alencar, Director of Science at IPAM and Coordinator of MapBiomas, moderated the session’s panels and highlighted the importance of data and maps in the climate agenda. 

“Land use will be a major focus at COP 30, as will the issue of climate justice. You can’t have this discussion without maps; they are essential to helping with this process,” she emphasized. 

Members of the MapBiomas team and representatives from various organizations—the Federal University of Santa Catarina (UFSC), ICLEI—Local Governments for Sustainability, the Brazilian Association of Meat Exporting Industries (ABIEC), the National Center for Monitoring and Alerting on Natural Disasters (CEMADEN), and the Climate Observatory — deepened this debate, focusing on issues of land degradation, agriculture and livestock, climate disasters and water, urban challenges, and public policies. 

Data in practice 

The final session featured the institutional partners of the MapBiomas network, who demonstrated the importance of open science and data communication in driving impact. Representatives from ICMBio, Embrapa, Banco do Brasil, O Boticário, Acelen, and Ambiental Mídia explained their projects and initiatives that promote positive impacts, as well as the role of MapBiomas data in these efforts. 

Possibilities and ideas for new projects using MapBiomas data—some of which are already underway—were presented by members of the MapBiomas team and partners. Among the ideas are mapping second-crop corn and gully erosion, and the creation of a degradation monitor. The audience at the event was also invited to offer suggestions.

The final part of the seminar featured a presentation by Luciano Candisani, who showed some images from his project “Terra D’Água” (Land of Water). The photographer explained that one of the goals of the project was to understand the significance of water in the Pantanal wetlands and to create a visual identity for the waters that shape the biome. Candisani also noted that photographic narratives can help connect people with the dramatic reality revealed by the data presented in MapBiomas’ maps, which show how the biome’s surface is drying up. 

The 10th Annual MapBiomas Seminar concluded with tributes and thanks to team members and a closing reception. 

Watch the full event here.