Mar 16, 2012

Geographer Aziz Nacib Ab'Sáber Dies

Brazil News

| SAO PAULO - Aziz Nacib Ab'Sáber, University of Sao Paulo researcher and leading expert in the physical geography of Brazil, as well as a voice in discussions on biodiversity and environmental conservation, died on Friday morning at 10:20 am in Sao Paulo. He was 87 years old.

 Aziz Nacib Ab'Sáber, University of Sao Paulo researcher and leading expert in the physical geography of Brazil died Friday, March 16, 2012

 Aziz Nacib Ab'Sáber (Photo: Silva Júnior/Folhapress)

News of Ab'Sáber’s death was first reported by the Brazilian Society for the Advancement of Science (SBPC), an institution that Ab'Sáber presided over from 1993 to 1995 and of which he was honorary president and counselor.

Ab'Sáber died at home. “He ate breakfast, sat on the bed and sighed, and then he died. It was devastating,” Nidia Nacib Pontuschka, sister of the geographer was quoted as saying by Folha de Sao Paulo. She said that the cause of death has not been established but is suspected to have been a heart attack or stroke.

Ab'Sáber was born in São Luís do Paraitinga, São Paulo on October 24, 1924. His father was Lebanese.

Although he was retired, Ab'Sáber continued publishing books and being a keen observer of the political controversies surrounding environmental issues.

For the last two years, he was involved, for example, with the discussion of the new Forest Code, which may alter the mandatory conservation areas on private properties.

According to the SBPC, the geographer criticized the text of the legislation for not considering the physical and ecological zoning of the entire country, leaving aside the importance of diversity of natural landscapes in Brazil.

The scholar also went on to suggest the creation of a Biodiversity Code to implement the protection of species of flora and fauna.

Ab'Sáber leaves five children, six grandchildren and one great grandchild.

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Source(s) for this article: Folha de Sao Paulo

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