Over the last 40 years, deforestation has cut that forest in half, eliminating an area larger than Germany and France combined. That forest is being cleared like never before, driving soaring drought and record fires across South America, with dire implications for the environment and nearby tribes.
Massive Deforestation
The Amazon rainforest has lost 12.5 per cent of plant cover between 1985 and 2023 — enough to remove the size of Cameroon — according to a joint report from internatonal group of researchers and NGOs, RAISG which covers nine countries.
Mining and agriculture are the main drivers of this huge loss of forest, which is used to open pasture space for cattle or to produce large areas of very few species, like soy fields, and other types on monocultures. Sandra Rio Caceres from The Institute of the Common Good says it ties into massive droughts and recent wildfires in numerous South American countries.
The Cascading Consequences For The Environment
Deforestation of the Amazon has broader, global effects. The Amazon is home to the world’s largest carbon sink, and its deforestation represents one of the last few remaining tipping points in climate action today. But instead, the record number of unprecedented forest fires have unleashed all this hydrocarbon gas back into the atmosphere and greatly increase climate chaos according to experts from RAISG.
The drought reportedly caused the Amazon to flow at its lowest rate in half a century, affecting communities that depend on the rivers for their food and livelihood. The lives of at least 47 million people are being put in danger because some rivers are at their lowest point in the last 60 years. Traditional stone buildings are unable to withstand the tremors, and the dry conditions have meant wildfires have spread unchecked across Ecuador, causing power problems as hydroelectric plants run short of water.
Conclusion
The Amazon rainforest is a global crisis and should not only be the concern of Brazil, as it has far-reaching implications for deforestation and other environmental degradation. Defending this critical ecosystem will help to not only alleviate the catastrophic impacts of climate change, but will additionally ensure a means of life for tens of millions who call the Amazon house. Sustainable development, environmental conservation and protection of the environment: Leaders in South American must become responsible enough to ensure that the Amazon remains strong and our planet has a future.
