Deforestation in the Amazon is one of the most serious environmental problems in Brazil and it directly affects this biome.
Since 2012 it has increased again and the main causes are related to the increase in agro-pastoral borders, the lack of more effective environmental public policies and inspection of the local.
The main causes of deforestation in the Amazon
Among the main reasons for deforestation in the Amazon, the following stand out:
Fires or forest fires: the fires that happen in the region are the result of human actions. The main purpose is to expand the space for planting or raising animals.
Timber activity: many companies that use wood for different purposes illegally exploit the environment. In this way, several trees are cut down and those responsible are not punished.
livestock activity: the expansion of activities aimed at raising animals is one of the main reasons for deforestation in the Amazon. This way, many companies deforest the place to expand the business.
land speculation (land grabbing): generated by the lack of inspection, the stimulus of land grabbing in the Amazon has been one of the problems associated with the invasion of public lands.
Impunity for environmental crimes: Illegal deforestation carried out by several companies has contributed to the devastation of the Amazon rainforest. Many environmental crimes remain unpunished for lack of more perennial legislation and local inspection.
political setbacks: some notorious examples of setbacks are: the creation of the new forest code (2012) and the reduction of Conservation Units. In addition, there is a reduction in the number of specialized personnel in environmental entities such as the Instituto Brasileiro do Meio. Environment and Renewable Natural Resources (IBAMA) and the Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation (ICMBio).
Resumption of major works: the construction of works in the region carried out without planning to reduce the impacts of the increase in people is one of the major problems to be observed. As an example, we can mention the construction of the Belo Monte hydroelectric plant, inaugurated in 2011.
Also read the text: What are Conservation Units?
What are the consequences of deforestation in the Amazon?
It is worth remembering that deforestation in the Amazon has generated numerous harmful consequences for the environment and for the Brazilian population, such as:
- changing the functioning of ecosystems;
- world climate change and regional climate;
- economic and social damage to the environment;
- impact on soil fertility and hydrological cycles;
- increase in greenhouse gases;
- rising rates of premature births;
- increase in deaths and respiratory illnesses in people and animals.
Some current data on deforestation in the Amazon
According to data from the Amazon Forest Monitoring Project by Satellite (PRODES) and the National Institute of Space Surveys (INPE), the years 1995 and 2004 were the most worrisome in relation to deforestation in the Amazon.
From 2004 to 2012, the deforestation rate was decreasing and came to drop about 80% in this period. However, in 2012 the problem was once again a sad reality.
According to studies by several environmental entities (Greenpeace, Imaflora, Imazon, Instituto Centro de Vida, Instituto Socioambiental, IPAM, The Nature Conservancy, WWF) held in 2017, the main causes of this increase were:
- Impunity for environmental crimes;
- Setbacks in environmental policies;
- Failures in livestock agreements;
- The profit from grabbing public lands;
- Great works accelerate threats.
See below the graph that shows in more detail the deforestation in the Amazon between the years 2012 and 2017:
Understand the topic better Logging it's the Deforestation in Brazil.
What can be done to reduce deforestation in the Amazon?
Some solutions are possible to prevent or even prevent deforestation in the Amazon. Among all the actions and programs to combat this urgent problem, we can highlight the so-called “zero deforestation”.
O zero deforestation is a proposal launched in 2012 that aims to end deforestation in the country. This is because, in addition to the Amazon biome, many other forests suffer from deforestation in the national territory.
In 2016, a document was prepared by Greenpeace and delivered to Congress for the creation of a bill. The central idea is that zero deforestation will be a reality in 2030.
Among the main actions of zero deforestation are:
- Implementation of effective public policies for environmental conservation;
- Increased environmental inspection;
- Prevention of land grabbing;
- Compliance with the Forest Code by all;
- End of deforestation by agriculture and cattle raising;
- Improvement in agricultural practices;
- Creation of Environmental Conservation Units;
- Demarcation of indigenous areas protected by law;
- Support for sustainable uses of the forest;
- Reduction and boycott of markets associated with deforestation;
- Greater engagement of the population.
Even though it had the support of a large part of the population and some entities, there is still a long way to go before the law becomes a reality.
Otherwise, the destruction of the Amazon will continue to bring irreversible consequences for the environment environment and the life of the population that inhabits the region, such as the indigenous people, the quilombolas and the riverside.
To further expand your knowledge on the subject, check out the video by Greenpeace Brasil on the Amazon and Zero Deforestation:
Learn all about Amazon:
- Legal Amazon
- All about the Amazon
- Amazon: characteristics of the biome
- Amazon rainforest
Bibliographic references
National Institute for Space Research (INPE) - Amazon Mission
Amazon Institute of Man and Environment - Imazon
Amazon Forest Monitoring Project by Satellite (PRODES)
Zero Deforestation in the Amazon: How and Why to Get There (2017)
Zero Deforestation: Your and Greenpeace's Story - Greenpeace (2018)
