摘要
In 2019,an oil spill in Brazil,of unknown origin,severely impacted coastal environs with the worst environmental disaster ever recorded in any tropical coastal region globally severely damaging South Pirangi Reef area in the state of Rio Grande do Norte(RN).Here we discuss acute and chronic impacts including chemical contamination and economic consequences all over the world and show some evidence of the oil spill in this biodiverse area.Moreover,the lapse between the moment of the disastei;and the action to manage it,was hampered by a political agenda coinciding with local and global tragedies that redirected public attention.Meanwhile almost 2 years have passed still without the offending party identification or culpability;and poor communities may continue to absorb its deleterious impacts for decades without consideration or compensation.This disaster occurred during the Brazilian government's current issues involving extensive environmental mismanagement,resulting in a slow response from an inept system.It is with urgent necessity to spotlight this tragedy in this unique and sensitive reef habitat experiencing the ongoing damaging effects that include socio-economic losses not yet addressed.
基金
This work was carried out under the scope of INCT AmbTropic phase II(CNPq Process 465634/2014-1)linked to the Emergency Action to combat the 2019 oil spill of the MCTI(DTI-A 381360/2020-2 fellowship to PPB Eichler)
We are grateful to the ANP-PRH 22 and the CAPES(Coordenacao de Aperfeipoamento de Pessoal de Nivel Superior)Project"Oceanographic process in the breaking of the continental shelf of northeastern Brazil:Scientific foundations for special marine planning"for the finan cial assistance granted,to the crews of the vessels used,and to all colleagues of GGEMMAAJFRN
We are grateful to CAPES(Coordenavao de Aperfeipoamento de Pessoal de Nivel Superior)for funding support through Projects Special Visiting Professor(PVE 151-2012,Aux Pe 242-2013),and Ciencias do Mar II(23038.004320/2014-1)that enabled a Pos Doc fellowship for P.P.B.Eichler at Moss Landing Marine Laboratories of San Jose State University(MLML/SJSU),and at the Ocean Sciences Department of the University of California at Santa Cruz(UCSC)(88887.305531/2018-00,88881.188496/2018-01 and 9999.000098/2017-05).We are also thankful to CNPq for the research grants for co-author Gomes M.P(PQ 302483/2019-5)and for co-author Vital H(PQ 311413/2016-1,PQ 315742/2020-8),and to OSC Oceanica for supporting Liana Mendes throughout the research.