5,843 km² of Brazil forest denuded in 12 months to July 2013
Deforestation rate in Brazil rose to 5,843 km² between August 2012 and July this year, a staggering rise of 28%, compared with the previous period, according to provisional figures released by the government.
More than 600,000 km² of Amazon rainforest have been destroyed in the past 40 years to make room for cattle ranching, farming and extensive transportation projects.
Agriculture accounts for almost 5.5% of the Brazil’s GDP, and is responsible for the majority of Brazil’s greenhouse gas emissions.
Cattle rest in deforested jungle near Maraba, in Brazil’s central state of Para, May 3, 2009. Soon thousands of cows will be chewing pasture on the freshly cleared land in Brazil’s Amazon state of Para, just a tiny part of Brazil’s 200-million-strong commercial cattle herd, the world’s biggest, that makes it a beef superpower. More than 70 million are in the Amazon area, three for every person. This is where the industry has grown fastest in recent years, a trend activists say is due to cheap land, widespread illegal clearing and weak government enforcement. REUTERS/Paulo Whitaker. Images may be subject to copyright.
Relate Links
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- Only One Guess Allowed!
- Brazil “soy king” sees Amazon as food solution
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- Greenpeace says global beef trade destroying Amazon
- Cattle a tough target in Amazon protection fight
- Brazil’s Extreme Rain Events Trigger 4,000 Landslides
- Famous Last words …
Fire Earth 