What Should Be Done?
Between May 2000 and August 2005, Brazil lost more than 132,000 square kilometers of forest, an area larger than Greece. Since 1970, over 600,000 square kilometers of Amazon rainforest have been destroyed. Why is Brazil losing so much forest? What can be done to further slow deforestation? Even though the Brazilian government and a variety of groups and NGO's such as IBAMA, IPAM & IMAZON have all collectively taken action and successfully reduced the extent and impact of deforestation in the Amazon rainforest, we think that more needs to be done. Whilst a range of policies have been introduced by the government and a number of campaigns have been started by various groups , the issue of deforestation is still prominent. Obviously, we recommend that groups and governments should continue to follow their current course of action as it has worked excellently. Registration and monitoring systems have allowed governments to curb excess and unnecessary deforestation as well as unsustainable practices and new policies have restricted the use of the Amazon for resources. But, on top of this we believe, to ensure that this unique rainforest lives on and is not destroyed completely, that a few strategies should be implemented and followed. These strategies are explained below. |
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Click Image to Enlarge The above column graph outlines the amount of deforestation observed in the Amazon rainforest from 1988-2009 and the target that deforestation is to be reduced down to by the year 2017. The strategies explained further on will aid in achieving this target _____________________________________________________________________________ |
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Click Image to Enlarge The graph shows the percent of Indigenous territories and protected natural areas in the Amazon region. __________________________________________________________________ Communities in a protected areas in the Brazilian Amazon.
It is places like these that we must try and protect and expand. |
Strategy 1 - Expansion of Protection Areas
The expansion and introduction of protected areas which are home to a diverse range of Indigenous communities and important habitats within the Amazon region, is key to maximizing survival of biodiversity in Brazil. Such protected areas would not experience deforestation or any other resource-extracting activities. By expanding existing protected areas and introducing new areas will not only ensure that deforestation is decreased to a considerable extent but will act as a safe zone for various communities and plants and animals species. This would mean that such Indigenous communities and species can be sustained rather than being destroyed through deforestation and other activities. The graph on the left outlines the percent of Indigenous and protected areas covering the Amazon region by country and the entirety of the rainforest. From the graph we can deduct that the percentage of protected areas across the whole Amazon rainforest stands at only 19% and Indigenous territories standing at only 26%. This number is quite low, but by increasing it, it will mean that deforestation and its impacts, as a whole, can be reduced. So what actually needs to be done to ensure that such protected areas are increased? 1. Prioritizing areas for protection. This means to focus on biological hot spots and areas in which deforestation is already having an impact and future areas of deforestation. 2. Ensuring sufficient enforcement agencies and funding exist for the maintenance of protected areas and further expansion of existing protected areas and introduction of new areas. 3. Encouraging the involvement of locals. The fate of protected areas rests largely in the hands of local people and so such people must be made both partners and beneficiaries in conservation. These local people can advocate their knowledge of the forest and aid in the expansion of protected areas and introduction of new areas in a way that benefits everyone. |
Strategy 2 - Sustainable Development
We think that another strategy to address and reduce deforestation in the Amazon rainforest is by developing a new conservation policy based on the principles of sustainable use and development of rainforests. Sustainable development already exists in the Amazon rainforest but majority of it is small-scale and on local levels. This needs to be transformed into a more large-scale practice so as to reduce deforestation significantly. Sustainable development can come in a number of forms. By following such sub-strategies within the broad strategy of sustainable development, we think will significantly reduce deforestation in the Amazon rainforest. So what does Sustainable Development encompass? 1. Agriculture - This would mean to incorporate the techniques of Indigenous people within the Amazon into agricultural projects. This can not only help to increase the productivity of degraded forest lands but also promote future sustainable use of forest resources. Moreover, ending of subsidies granted to large landowners can help remove the financial incentives for the extraction of Amazonian resources thus, effectively, resulting in a reduction of deforestation. 2. Logging - This includes ending of subsidies and financial incentives for logging companies will help reduce deforestation. Also, use of reduced impact logging can reduce the impact of deforestation. Reduced impact logging can come in a number of forms. A few examples of this include: - Using improved technologies to reduce damage to the soil caused by log extraction - Reducing wood waste for deforested areas. - Tree felling in a way that inflicts the smallest impact on surrounding forest 3. Cattle Ranching - This would involve the elimination of tax incentives and land policies which encourage conversion of forest land to pastures and also increased productivity of existing pastureland so as to reduce the rate of deforestation. |
Sustainable Development
This video, produced by Chaim Litewski and Camilo Freire for UNTV, outlines the various sustainable development practices already in use in the Amazon rainforest and emphasizes the need for further expansion of sustainable development. "In order to prevent the destruction of the Amazon and improve the quality of life for the people who live there, we need to embrace a wide range of sustainable and effective initiatives. This can only be achieved if we find economic alternatives and solutions to destructive logging."
Sourced From Greenpeace USA Blog: http://www.greenpeace.org/usa/en/news-and-blogs/news/the-amazon-rainforest-the-gre/solutions-for-the-amazon-rainf/ |
Strategy 3 - Laws & Policies
Whilst a number of policies have been introduced to help reduce deforestation in the Amazon rainforest , the issue is still quite prominent. Currently, under Brazilian law, much of the Amazon is essentially an open access resource and there is little incentive for logging companies, farmers and developers to use the land in a sustainable way. In this way, such parties, for most of the time, simply clear the land and then move onto another area when the land is no longer viable. This means that sustainable development is not being followed and deforestation is still prominent.
So what should be done, in terms of laws and policies, to ensure that deforestation is reduced?
1. Law Reform & Enforcement - We believe that lawmakers in Brazil should consider new laws that restrict current unsustainable practices so as to remedy the issue of deforestation. We also believe that they should enforce some of the existing laws which will further restrict the activities of involved parties and will effectively help in reducing deforestation.
2. Funding - Brazil currently has a number of laws on the books that theoretically should slow Amazon deforestation and encourage sustainable use of forest resources. However, any legal authority to enforce the law is continually being undermined. The main reason for this is the fact that law enforcement sectors are woefully underfunded. For example, in 2003, the entire budget for environmental law enforcement in Brazil was $9.5 million which is not enough to reduce deforestation. Therefore, we believe that more resources and funding need to be concentrated into the law enforcement sector so as to allows institutions to enforce the law effectively and thus reduce deforestation.
Whilst a number of policies have been introduced to help reduce deforestation in the Amazon rainforest , the issue is still quite prominent. Currently, under Brazilian law, much of the Amazon is essentially an open access resource and there is little incentive for logging companies, farmers and developers to use the land in a sustainable way. In this way, such parties, for most of the time, simply clear the land and then move onto another area when the land is no longer viable. This means that sustainable development is not being followed and deforestation is still prominent.
So what should be done, in terms of laws and policies, to ensure that deforestation is reduced?
1. Law Reform & Enforcement - We believe that lawmakers in Brazil should consider new laws that restrict current unsustainable practices so as to remedy the issue of deforestation. We also believe that they should enforce some of the existing laws which will further restrict the activities of involved parties and will effectively help in reducing deforestation.
2. Funding - Brazil currently has a number of laws on the books that theoretically should slow Amazon deforestation and encourage sustainable use of forest resources. However, any legal authority to enforce the law is continually being undermined. The main reason for this is the fact that law enforcement sectors are woefully underfunded. For example, in 2003, the entire budget for environmental law enforcement in Brazil was $9.5 million which is not enough to reduce deforestation. Therefore, we believe that more resources and funding need to be concentrated into the law enforcement sector so as to allows institutions to enforce the law effectively and thus reduce deforestation.