The Greater Amazon Aquifer System: An Invisible Heritage That Needs to Be Protected - OPINION September 24, 2025
- Ana Cunha-Busch
- Sep 23
- 2 min read
The Greater Amazon Aquifer System: An Invisible Heritage That Needs to Be Protected
The recent discovery of the Greater Amazon Aquifer System, considered one of the largest groundwater reserves on the planet, represents a historic milestone for science and the future of humanity. It is a treasure hidden beneath the forest floor, capable of guaranteeing water for millions of people, regulating the climate, and strengthening the region's water sovereignty.
The Amazon, already known as the "lungs of the world" for its fundamental role in global climate balance, now reveals another facet of its grandeur: a cemetery of monumental proportions. If the forest is already essential for maintaining the rain cycle in South America, the aquifer further reinforces our responsibility to preserve this unique region. We're not just talking about trees or visible rivers—we're dealing with a complex network, where each layer of soil, each spring, and each watercourse make up an interdependent system.
However, the discovery cannot be seen merely as a cause for celebration. It carries a warning: greed for the Amazon is likely to increase. Large water reserves, in a world facing increasingly severe water crises, are strategic assets and, therefore, targets of economic and political interests. The risk of disorderly exploitation is real and requires vigilance and transparent governance.
It is urgent to understand that the Amazon is not just Brazilian or South American: it is a natural heritage of global significance. However, it is up to Brazil and the Amazonian countries to lead the debate and establish clear protection rules, based on science and social justice. This means investing in research, strengthening environmental agencies, valuing local communities, and ensuring that water remains a public and non-commercial good.
The Greater Amazon Aquifer System is, at its core, an invitation to reflect on the future. Do we want to repeat the mistakes made in other regions of the planet, where exploitation has led to scarcity and environmental collapse? Or will we learn the lesson and transform this discovery into an example of sustainable and collective management?
The response must be aligned with the vision that protecting the Amazon—both its forest and its invisible resources—is protecting life. It means accepting that water has no substitute and that without it, there is no agriculture, no economy, and no society. May this newly discovered aquifer be seen not as a mine to be exploited, but as a legacy to be protected.
Author: Bianca Vieira
SDG 6 SDG 13 SDG 15 SDG 17
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