A chunk nearly the size of Kuwait is felled or burned every year. This both eliminates CO2-absorbing trees and releases their stored carbon back into the air
The Brazilian Amazon is vast—5.37m square kilometres in 2005. Here you can see a five-year trailing average of the forest’s carbon flux. Most of its area (inDuring the early 2000s soya farmers and cattle ranchers hungry for land cleared 20,500 square km a year. Where deforesting occurred, the Amazon’s stored carbon was emitted (areas inoutput fell as the central bank cut off credit to firms facing fines for deforestation, and more forest areas gained legal protection.
But in 2012 the government granted an amnesty for past deforestation, and in 2014 a recession began, which may have pushed farmers to seek new land. In 2016, emissions surged: 32,600 square km were felled in that year alone, and the destruction has continued at pace ever since.than it absorbed. The trend shows little sign of reversing soon.
The worst scenarios involve a tipping point of tree loss, beyond which the forest could no longer produce enough moisture to sustain its ecosystem. But even if this disaster can be averted, grave harm has already been done. Every year of continued logging reduces the forest’s ability to retain carbon: since 2001 the Brazilian Amazon’s absorption rate has fallen by 1.2% a year., found this pattern in atmospheric samples from south-eastern Amazonia.
Both of these studies measured emissions over long time periods. Neither reported whether recent region-wide trends were positive or negative. To find out, we matched up the latest data on COGreenhouse-gas flows, average for 2001-21
Ireland Latest News, Ireland Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Elon Musk visits Brazil to discuss Amazon with BolsonaroThe SpaceX chief tweeted that he was ‘super excited’ to visit South America
Read more »
Offset markets struggle in the face of surging commodity pricesThe market is not working. The price of a carbon offset is far too low
Read more »
‘Wash your mouth’: Richarlison takes aim at Jamie Carragher after Everton winCarragher has repeatedly criticised the Brazilian’s gamesmanship this season
Read more »
In Brazil, if you need answers, see a cowrie-shell throwerThe 256 ways that the 16 shells can fall, each either open or closed, are read to diagnose and solve any problem
Read more »
Elon Musk denies he sexually harassed attendant on private jet in 2016Billionaire says report is ‘utterly untrue’ after allegation he paid $250k in 2018 to settle claim
Read more »
Richarlison bites back at Carragher's criticism after Everton's PL survivalRicharlison hit out at Jamie Carragher on social media after helping Everton secure Premier League survival – but the Liverpool legend took it in good spirits. The Toffees secured a thrilling…
Read more »