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The Amazon: Boom or Bust?<br />
The Amazon is the largest Rainforest in the world and accounts for half the rainforest area<br />
of the planet. Many people imagine the Amazon as a swathe of unbroken green but in<br />
fact, it is steadily retreang due to cale ranches and illegal farms. But is it right to stop it<br />
and what are the effects of prevenng these acons?<br />
The Amazon is approximately 2 million square miles in area but already, 17% has been cleared by deforestaon. At<br />
the peak of deforestaon in 2004, an area of 10,274 miles was cleared, equivalent to the size of Albania, Hai or<br />
Belgium. But this land is being used incredibly producvely. Brazil is fast becoming the largest Soya Bean producer<br />
in the World as the deforested Amazon is converted into Soya fields. Brazils’ harvest next year will be, according to<br />
esmates, 85 Billion tonnes of Soya Beans. Why is deforestaon occurring for the sake of planng Soya?<br />
Farmers say the Economic incenves outweigh the illegal risks.<br />
The Local Agricultural associaon says that this is a ‘Golden<br />
Era,’ for Brazil; the price of Soya has risen 16.6% (from 60‐70<br />
reals [£21.50 a sack]) in the past 12 months. This is partly due<br />
to China rapidly developing and now able to afford greater volumes<br />
of food. Antônio Galvan, head of the Agricultural Associa‐<br />
on of Sinop, says greater land clearance is essenal if the<br />
world is to feed a growing populaon. In addion, the financial<br />
incenve to break the law increases with Soya prices. A farmer<br />
in Brazil says ‘Deforestaon is an internaonal concern, but we<br />
also have to make a living.’ So one could argue that farmers<br />
should have the right to clear the Amazon.<br />
However, what is rather sickly ironic is that the Soya Bean<br />
prices have mainly increased due to a drought that cut the<br />
harvest in the US this year, due to Climate change partly<br />
caused by deforestaon. As a consequence, there is further<br />
incenve to deforest and the Brazilian economy has<br />
capitalized. This incident that has occurred in areas across<br />
the world has given sciensts alarming evidence that the<br />
Amazon is caught in a vicious circle as the more this great<br />
climate regulator is cleared, the more the dramac impacts<br />
of Climate change will affect Global market Prices<br />
and Global Hunger.<br />
One can’t underesmate the importance of deforestaon to affect Climate Change. However, one cannot overlook<br />
the economic incenves of Brazil’s rich resources. But if you were a Brazilian farmer, what would you do?<br />
Jack Redley (e) ‐ 6.1
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