5 Questions
What is the estimated amount of carbon stored in the Amazon?
Between 100 and 120 billion tons
What is the primary reason for the reduced enforcement on the ground in Brazil?
Illegal logging
At what rate is deforestation currently continuing in the Amazon?
Close to 10,000 square kilometers per year
How long until the Amazon could reach a tipping point if deforestation continues at the current rate?
Within 15 to 30 years
What are people risking their lives for in the Amazon?
Standing up to illegal networks destroying the forests
Study Notes
The Amazon Rainforest
- The Amazon is estimated to store around 140 billion metric tons of carbon, equivalent to about 14 years of global greenhouse gas emissions.
Deforestation in Brazil
- The primary reason for reduced enforcement on the ground in Brazil is the erosion of environmental protections and increased logging and land grabbing, fueled by political and economic interests.
Current Deforestation Rate
- Deforestation in the Amazon is currently continuing at an alarming rate of approximately 17% per decade, with an estimated 17% of the forest lost in the past 50 years.
Tipping Point
- If deforestation continues at the current rate, the Amazon could reach a tipping point in as little as 15-20 years, leading to the collapse of the ecosystem and the loss of its ecological function.
Environmental Activism
- People, including indigenous leaders and environmental activists, are risking their lives to protect the Amazon rainforest and its inhabitants from deforestation, logging, and land grabbing.
Test your knowledge about the importance of the Amazon rainforest and its biodiversity in this quiz. Explore the vital role the Amazon plays in global climate regulation and the threats it currently faces.
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