Effects of Deforestation in Brazil

The loss of forests around the world has increasingly gotten worse from the beginning of human existence but recently, it has almost reached the brink for the Amazon. It's the largest tropical rainforest and 60% of it is located in Brazil. This issue is not only for Brazil, but for the entire planet because the Amazon produces 20% of the worlds oxygen which is where it gets the name, the Lungs of Earth. Jair Bolsonaro was recently elected president in Brazil, and could push the Amazon passed its breaking point, and cause irreversible damage. He believes that agriculture in Brazil is more important the rainforest and is converting the environment Ministry, which protects the rainforests and surrounding environment, into the Agriculture Ministry. This will convert the rainforest into farmland for beef and soy, which is currently the main cause of deforestation in Brazil. If something is not done to stop the deforestation and reverse the damages that humans have already done to the Amazon, it could lead to consequences for Brazil and the entire world.

Over history, there has always been deforestation but the rates have been mostly upward since 2012. In 2017, Brazil lost 2,682 square miles of Amazon rainforest. To put that in perspective, it is equivalent to nine times the New York City and 78% over the government's targets under the Paris accord. In 2004 - 2007 deforestation fell 60%, but the global prices for beef and soy were low. One reason for the high deforestation in the past years is due to high prices for beef and soy, so Brazil is using the rainforest for cattle ranching. (Fearnside) In the past, Brazil aggreed in the Paris Accord, which protected the Amazon and reduced Deforestation along with other issues like climate change.

Deforestation will create an abundance of negative effects for the planet and the things on it. First of all, deforestation causes loss of habitat for millions of species that live in the rainforest. If we continue cutting down trees, we continue to eliminate species from the planet, some being crucial parts of the ecosystem. The trees that protect tons of species also provide a canopy that regulates the temperature. Without this, more species of plants and animals will die due to drastic temperature swings from day to night. The Amazon Rainforest which is the largest rainforest in the world, stretches over 2000 miles, and intakes a large amount of the worlds carbon dioxide emissions. Cutting down trees also creates emissions which just speeds the rate of global warming, another large problem on our planet being ignored. The Amazon also has a water cycle that returns water vapor into the atmosphere which in return cause more rainfall. If we cut down more trees, it will stop the water cycle which could cause the tropical rainforest to turn into a dry desert.

Cite this page