amazon

by Vanessa Meadu

The Brazilian legal Amazon, an area approximately the size of Europe, is a globally vital carbon sink. Its destruction would result in a massive release of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, which would be permanent and irreversible; cause traumatic losses to biodiversity and local ecosystems; and negatively impact Brazil's environment and economy. But timber is lucrative and so are the commodities that have traditionally replaced forests, including soya and cattle.

Nevertheless, Brazil has taken the threat of Amazon deforestation very seriously, putting into place strongly-enforced policies that cut across all sectors to reduce deforestation. As a result, the annual deforestation rate in the Amazon has significantly decreased since 2003. More amazingly, the country’s GDP increased despite the reduction in deforestation.

How did they do it? Read more »