2023-11-29 02:25:21
According to an analysis, the destruction of the Amazon rainforest has slowed significantly this year. Between January 1 and November 8, the loss of old-growth forest in the Amazon fell to 9,117 square kilometers, a decline of 55.8 percent compared to the same period in 2022, an analysis by the nonprofit Forest Monitoring Program said Tuesday Amazon Conservation (MAAP).
Brazil, Colombia, Peru and Bolivia all saw a decline in forest loss, according to the report, obtained by Archyde.com. “These data show that there is still hope for the Amazon,” said Matt Finer, ecologist and director of MAAP. This is a turning point for the region, which is crucial for containing climate change. While the area deforested is still the size of Puerto Rico, it is the lowest since satellite deforestation records began in 2019.
Analysts largely attributed the decline to stricter enforcement of environmental laws in Brazil – where most of the rainforest is located – under President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who took office on January 1. His predecessor, Jair Bolsonaro, had advocated deforestation for mining, ranching and other purposes.
The Amazon, the world’s largest rainforest, helps curb global warming because its trees absorb large amounts of carbon dioxide. Experts believe success in curbing deforestation will give Amazon countries more leverage to push for conservation funding at the upcoming UN climate summit COP28. In 2021, more than 100 countries, including many Amazon countries, committed to ending deforestation by the end of the decade.
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