Suffocating the lungs of the Earth

In early May 2005, the Brazilian government announced that almost one-fifth of the Amazon has now been cleared by deforestation. If we look back at the unfortunate progressive destruction statistics, the future appears bleak for what some describe as ‘the lungs of the earth’. Why is Brazil losing so much forest? What can be done to slow deforestation?

Today deforestation in the Amazon is the result of several factors, including:

Clearing for cattle pasture - The devaluation of the Brazilian currency against the dollar has effectively doubled the price of beef in Brazilian currency and created an incentive for ranchers to expand their pasture areas at the expense of the rainforest. The eradication of Foot-and-Mouth Disease in much of Brazil has increased price and demand for Brazilian beef. In addition, Brazil’s recent road construction has gives developers and ranchers access to previously inaccessible forestlands in the Amazon.

Colonization - A large amount of deforestation is caused by the subsistence activities of poor farmers who are encouraged to settle on forestlands by government land policies. This issue is combined with Brazilian squatter rights. - After five years the squatter acquires ownership and hence the right to sell the land. Up until at least the mid-1990s this system was worsened by the government, policy that allowed each claimant to gain title for an amount of land up to three times the amount of forest cleared. It has also been observed that poor farmers are using fire for clearing land. Every year satellite images pick up thousands of fires burning across the Amazon.

Commercial agriculture - Recently soybeans have become one of the most important contributors to deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon. Thanks to a new variety of soybean developed by Brazilian scientists to flourish rainforest climate, Brazil is on the verge of supplanting the United States as the world's leading exporter of soybeans. Logging - In theory, logging in the Amazon is controlled by strict licensing which only allows timber to be harvested in designated areas. However, there is significant evidence that illegal logging is quite widespread in Brazil

What can we do? We could reduce our paper and wood consumption. N.B Over seventy-eight percent of the Earth's original old growth forests have already been logged or degraded. You can help by using both sides of each piece of paper when taking notes, using cloth napkins / towels and avoid using disposable paper plates and cups. In addition, when purchasing paper products, choose products with the highest percentage of recycled content.

The burning of oil, gas, and coal is the primary cause of climate change, a trend that is threatening the stability of the global climate. Scientists have predicted that if we stay on our current path, global temperatures will rise between 2° and 9° Fahrenheit in the next century.You can help alleviate oil's impact on the environment by reducing your own oil and gas consumption. Whenever possible, leave your car at home and instead walk, ride your bike or use public transportation.

What is difficult to comprehend is the fact that a country like Brazil is trying its best to come out of poverty. The hope of the country maybe that economic recovery can lead to a better life for those that have suffered in the past. However, the price should not be the devastation of the Earth. Instead, economic leaders should collectively decide on each country’s strengths and balance their contribution. For example, we know that deforestation is bad so what industries can countries compromise between them to specialise in. Unfortunately, in a competitive world country’s will do what they can to gain revenues. There must be another world attitude that is not based on pure capitalism!