Towards Sustainable Environmental Quality: Priority Research Questions for Latin America

FURLEY TATIANA; BRODEUR C; ASSIS HELENA; CARRIQUIRIBORDE PEDRO; GENOVA F; MASCARENHAS R; MIGLIORANZA KARINA SILVIA BEATRIZ; BROOKS BRYAN

Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management

Setac

Lugar: Pensacola; Año: 2018

1551-3777

The Global Horizon Scanning Project is an innovative initiative that aims to identify important global environmental quality research needs. Here we report 20 key research questions from Latin America (LA). Members of the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC) Latin America (LA) and other scientists from LA were asked to submit research questions which, in their view, represented priority needs to address in the region. 100 One hundred questions were received, then partitioned among categories and examined during a workshop in Buenos Aires. Twenty priority research questions were subsequently identified. These research questions included developing, improving and harmonizing across LA countries methods for: 1) identifying contaminants and degradation products in complex matrices (including biota); 2) advancing prediction of contaminant risks and effects in ecosystems, addressing lab to field extrapolations challenges, and understanding complexities of multiple stressors (including chemicals and climate change); and 3) improving management and regulatory tools towards achieving sustainable development. Whereas environmental contaminants frequently identified in these key questions were pesticides, pharmaceuticals, endocrine disruptors/modulators, plastics and nanomaterials, commonly identified environmental challenges were related to agriculture, urban effluents, solid wastes, pulp and paper mills, and natural extraction activities. Several interesting research topics included assessing and preventing of pollution impacts on conservation protected areas, and developing strategies for identification, substitution and design of less hazardous chemicals (e.g., green chemistry). Finally, a recurrent research need included developing an understanding of differential sensitivity of regional species and ecosystems to environmental contaminants and other stressors. We anticipate that addressing these critical questions will support development of long term strategic research efforts to advance more sustainable environmental quality in LA.