Amazon Deforestation Essay

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----------------------- Week 8 – TTL Group Activity – Transnational reworking of a rural livelihood The Amazon rainforest, or also known as the Amazonia; is one of the world’s greatest natural resources. Described as the “Lungs of our Planet”, approximately 20% of Earth’s oxygen is produced by the Amazon rainforest. The Amazonia possesses is some of the riches and diverse ecosystems, with over 500 mammal species, over 300 reptiles species, and a third of the world’s bird population. As the world’s largest rainforest, the Amazonia covers approximately 40% of the Southern American continent. Today the Amazonia has had 20% of its forest destroyed as a result of cattle ranches, mining, logging and agriculture. Much of this has occurred in the last 50 years. A focus on Brazil: Brazil possesses the greatest portion of the Amazonia. Since 1970, over 600,000 sq km have been destroyed. Between 2000 and 2006 alone, 150,000 sq km (an area larger than Greece) was lost. The problem is complex and encompasses ‘actors’ from all spatial scales including local indigenous peasants, NGOs, industry/transnational companies and of course, government. As aforementioned, deforestation can be contributed to clearing for pastureland, (misguided) government policy and commercial exploitation of forest resources. Imagine you are one of the ‘actors’ (as specified below) contributing to or being impacted by deforestation: The Government Deforestation is closely correlated with the economic health of Brazil. And thus Brazil encourages economic development in the Amazon through favourable taxation policies such as low tax rates from agriculture, and agricultural subsidies. Cattle ranching are the leading cause of deforestation in Brazil, of which 80% is exported. Brazil has the world’s largest commercial cattle herd. Recently, soybeans have become the most significant contributor to

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