ManagementDeforestation in the Amazon, is a growing problem, with over 20% of the Amazon rainforest deforested. Between 1996 and 2005, deforestation averaged 19,508 square kilometres per year. However, recent actions by the Brazilian government that were helped and influenced by groups and individuals led to a stunning 67% decrease in deforestation in the Amazon to 6,541 square kilometres.
So, let's find out what the government, NGOs, and Individuals are doing to manage this problem. |
"Calculating how much carbon is absorbed by which forests and farms is a tricky task, especially when politicians do it."
- Donella Meadows |
Eyes In Space
The following video by the Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR), a non-profit global organisation dedicated to environmental conservation, highlights the actions taken by IBAMA, an institute within Brazil responsible for managing the Amazon rainforest.
The following video by the Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR), a non-profit global organisation dedicated to environmental conservation, highlights the actions taken by IBAMA, an institute within Brazil responsible for managing the Amazon rainforest.
Goverment
The government is playing a key role in managing the Amazon rainforest. The government, both state and federal have worked together to expand its network of indigenous reserves and protected areas accounting for over 50% of Brazil’s Amazon Rainforest. As a result of the government’s effort, 20% of the Brazilian Amazon is under control of the Indigenous people and are given their collective land tenure rights, which are reinforced by official titles and the support of the state government. Furthermore, the government has passed and is currently passing stronger legislation and laws for logging and deforestation, where seizure of illegal goods, closing of business, hefty fines, to jail time have been used. These actions have also been applied to corrupt officers and officials whom have allowed illegal deforestation to occur.
The government has also implemented a command and control policy. The IBAMA, acts as the environmental police and is responsible for implementing new policies and standards for environmental quality, while also examining environmental degradation and the distribution of environmental licences and evaluating environmental impacts. The IBAMA has the power to impose administrative fines, as well as working with federal authorities for further prosecution. IN 2005, REDD+ was formed by developing countries, as an international strategy to reduce deforestation, where wealthy nations compensate for economic losses. Brazil’s government plans to reduce deforestation rate 80 percent by 2020. Furthermore, Norway,has committed to pay 1 billion dollars to compensate Brazil for its emissions. Overall the government, has and currently is playing a key role in reducing deforestation by implementing many strategies and plans. Declining Deforestation
In the following video CIFOR speaks to Clarissa Costalonga e Gandour from the climate Policy Initiative about her recent study showing Brazil's deforestation slowdown was influenced by both environmental policies and agricultural prices CIFOR, states that recent study have shown that deforestation has slowed down as a result of stricter environmental policies by the government and agricultural prices
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Click to enlarge This graph shows the gradual reduction of deforestation and represents the work of the Brazilian Government and IBAMA's effort to reduce deforestation ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ These are a serious of photos of "Ibama" which show what they are doing to reduce deforestation
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Click Image to Enlarge This image shows the reduction of deforestation between 2006 - 2013, as a result of the command and control efforts ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ |
These images represent the ways groups are working to reduce deforestation
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Groups (NGOs)A variety of NGOs, as well as a coalition of environmental, indigenous and human rights organisation, pushed forward for The Zero Deforestation campaign. This campaign was launched in 2008, for the reduction of illegal deforestation, throughout the Amazon Rainforest. These campaigns by such organisations, pressured the government, to create policies and put an effort in reducing deforestation. These protests led to a meeting with the IBAMA where the IBAMA announced a “Zero Deforestation Pact” increasing the Amazonian forest protection, and the enforcement of stricter laws to reduce deforestation. The Zero Deforestation policy, gives IBAMA the power to take action against illegal ranchers, and loggers backed up by the government. The pressure created by such NGO’s led to the formation of the Zero Deforestation Policy, which as a results has decreased deforestation and further enabling the target for 2020.
Furthermore research institutions such as IPAM and IMAZON, have been monitoring progress and helping ranchers, small agricultural farmers, and loggers in ways to increase productivity in many ways that doesn't lead to large scale deforestation. Overall, the coalition of such groups, pressured the government, playing a critical role in pushing their government to go further while also exerting pressure for change on the businesses that are destroying the forests. |
Individuals
Individuals, such as the citizens of Brazil, have played a critical role in persuading the government for the "Zero Deforestation Policy." However, overall, such individuals have not had a major impact towards this issue, but when these individuals are placed into groups, and NGOs such as Green Peace, and individuals in research facilities, they are playing a role in not only reducing deforestation but also helping, farmers, loggers and ranchers to increase productivity, without harming the forests, by monitoring and advising them