Nature-based Solutions for the navigability of the Paraguay River

The Paraguay River in South America flows through the Pantanal, the largest tropical wetland in the world. At the same time, the river is an important traffic route from Brazil via Bolivia, Paraguay, Argentina and Uruguay to the Atlantic Ocean to sail agricultural and mining products to Europe. In this assignment we will look at the river stretch of the Paraguay River south of the Pantanal, where it flows through Paraguayan territory. 

Important transport route

80% of all Paraguay's imports and exports are transported by river. But in dry summer months, the river is difficult to navigate: ships sail with little cargo, disconnect some of their containers to be able to round narrow bends, or do not sail at all. Costly plans to improve the shipping route are therefore decades old and come back again and again. A rigorous approach can have disastrous consequences for the swamp and river nature of the upstream Pantanal and the (agricultural) land near the river; desiccation in particular is lurking. 

Nature as a solution?

But if you do it right, that may be preventable. Can Nature-based Solutions (applying nature to solve societal challenges) offer a solution to the waterway problem here? Together with HKV, we are writing a 'white paper' on behalf of WWF, a quick scan to determine what the possibilities are.