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[FREE REPORT] Not just Fire, but other Factors to Consider that May be Harming the amazon |
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by Rosa Domingos | 02-09-2019 01:23
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Raging wildfires have drawn the world's attention to the Amazon but immolation is just one of the dangers facing the world's largest rain forest. The Amazon, covers approximately 5.5 million km2 over nine countries, and it's facing the ever more serious threats from encroaching crop and livestock farming, mining, land occupations and illegal logging (AFP, 2019). We're going to look at the other factors that are slowing deteriorating the Lungs of the Earth... Crop and livestock farming Deforestation for farming is one of the most serious threats to the rain forest. A problem common to all nine jurisdictions: Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Peru, Suriname and Venezuela (AFP, 2019). The main cause of deforestation is the advancing agricultural boundary. A case in point is Ecuador, where agricultural land increased by 23% between 2000 and 2017 - gouged from its share of the Amazon basin region. A director of the Fundacion Ecociencia in Quito,Carmen Josse said that this was one of the main factors in the shrinking of the rain forest.  (AFP, 2019). A practice common in Brazil, Peru, Ecuador and Bolivia is for farmers to set fires in the dry season to clear the undergrowth in deforested areas. However, this often leads to uncontrolled burning, which takes a greater toll on the rain forest. Much to environmentalists' plee for an end to this, Bolivia's government recently authorised farmers to burn 20 hectares instead of the usual five hectares - which is believed to have contributed to thousands of wildfires that razed 1.2 million hectares of grassland and forest since May alone. Illegal crops also nibble away at the forest, like the coca cultivation in Colombia, which now has nearly 170 000 hectares covered by coca plantations, according to UN data (AFP, 2019). Mining Illegal mining operations being carried out in most Amazon basin region countries causes significant damage, and aggravated by the use of chemicals such as mercury - particularly in gold mining - which has contaminated soil and streams. The council of the Amerindian peoples of French Guiana declared after a recent meeting that "fire is not the only danger that threatens or destroys the Amazon. Extraction is largely responsible".  (AFP, 2019). Approximately, 29 000 hectares of rainforest have been destroyed due to both legal and illegal gold panning since 2003, according to the French territory's National Forestry Office. Venezuela's cash-strapped government turned to the Amazon's resources after the collapse of oil prices contributed to its economic crisis. It launched a vast project in 2016 to extract bauxite, coltan, diamonds and gold in an area of more than 110 000 square kilometers of rain forest (AFP, 2019). All vegetation is cut, eliminated, and this poses problems of soil erosion, mercury contamination and population displacements. Josse said the most worrying thing about mining is that it causes "permanent deforestation" by destroying several layers of soil, preventing regenerative growth (AFP, 2019). In Ecuador, oil concessions encroaching on indigenous lands are also taking a toll. In Peru, the government has deployed the army in the Amazon to try to stop illegal mining that has flourished in remote areas long left unprotected by the state. Colombia has also mobilized its security forces to try to protect the Amazon basin after more than 138 000 hectares of rain forest disappeared in 2018, accounting for 70% of the country's total deforestation. Last but certainly not least, we have... Illegal occupation, hardwood trafficking The lack of a state presence in many remote and rural areas has also contributed to the growing practice of illegal land occupation, in which landless farmers settle on land hoping to get a legal title at some point. There is a tendency to confuse land occupation with (deforestation for) livestock, but there is a more complex phenomenon behind this process: namely the greed of politicians and businessmen to "own as much land as possible", and speculating on resale. The non-existence of institutional control over the informal land market and the appropriation of public vacant lots make this phenomenon plausible.  (AFP, 2019). Under pressure from environmentalists, the Bolivian government has sought to make amends this week by announcing an "ecological pause" - prohibiting the sale of fire-ravaged land to crack down on speculators. But that may be too little too late in a country that by its own admission has lost 1.2 million hectares of grassland and forest to fires since May. The Amazon's massive timber resources long put the rainforest at risk from illegal logging concerns, particularly those trading in hardwoods like mahogany, now in danger of being wiped out from over-exploitation. Reference list: AFP. 2019. Fires not the only threat facing Amazon. [Online]. Available: https://www.news24.com/World/News/fires-not-the-only-threat-facing-amazon-20190831. Accessed: 1 Sep 2019. Aug 31, 2019.
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24 Comments
Greetings Rosa
I hope you are doing well
Thank you so much for this report
Keep writing
Green cheers
Regards
Sus
Posted 15-03-2020 16:40
Hi Hyeongmin,
Thank you for reading and commenting on my report.
It is shocking to see this senseless burning continue, but I feel that as more noise is made about this horrendous act, that world leaders will step in and do something about this.
Thanks once more!
Rosa
Posted 10-09-2019 18:52
Hello Rosa!
Reading your report, I feel worried about the future of the Lungs of the Earth. Rich resources of Amazon make it a target of many threats.
I think it's time to look ahead, not just some benefits in sight.
Thank you for the great report.
Posted 07-09-2019 12:42
Hey Bal!
Thank you for reading my work! Mustch appreciated mahn!
Sincerely yours,
Rosa
Posted 03-09-2019 12:49
Hi Ngolle!
You're right, we need to tackle the cause first. Then and only then will the consequences sieze to exist.
Thank you for reading my work!
With gratitude,
Rosa
Posted 03-09-2019 12:48
Thanks for such an informative report.
Gogreen
Posted 03-09-2019 12:05
Your report carries a lot of resourceful information. I think while tackling the consequences, we should may more attention on the cause. Thanks once more Rosa
Posted 03-09-2019 09:14
Hey there Nishan!
I completely concur with you! Not just our forest but wildlife and humans are a losing their natural habitat. We should pray indeed.
Thank you for your support in reading my report Nishan! Much appreciated!
Stay blessed,
Rosa
Posted 03-09-2019 02:19
Hey there Shreya,
I completely concur with you, there are other factors that are just eating away at the Amazon. Unless something is done quickly, we may face a first extinction.
Thank you for reading my report Shreya!
Stay blessed,
Rosa
Posted 03-09-2019 02:17
Hey there Okoth!
I hope you are well. Yes, I can help you out for sure. I will email you tonight and we can communicate further okay☺️ :D
Thank you for reading my work and for your kind words!
Warm regards,
Rosa
Posted 03-09-2019 02:15
Hi Rosa,
How are you? Hope you are doing great!
Happy to read the current global issue, Amazon Fire. Yeah, Amazon function as lungs of the earth providing the fresh oxygen to us. But on the other hand, the wide fire is not only destroying the lungs but actually destroying many lives( Wildlife and Human). Pray for Amazon!!
Regards,
Nishan KC
Posted 03-09-2019 00:15
Hello Rosa,
How are you doing.It feels so great to see that you have concerned about the amazon and tried to found out the major causes of it.Really these factors you have mentioned are harming the environment and amazon is just a bad example.
Green Cheers,
Shreya
Posted 02-09-2019 22:57
Bravo once more, any other ambassador available May help me out, am new but experienced in environment issues
Posted 02-09-2019 22:17
Hello Rosa Domingo's, how are you, mind helping me out with this task of report writing. My email is paulosokoth@gmail.com
Posted 02-09-2019 22:15
Hey Sandhya,
I hope you are well.Thank you for your kind words and I hope to read your work too!
Warm regards,
Rosa
Posted 02-09-2019 16:18
Hello Rosa,
I do hope you are fine there. You had clearly presented insightful report adressing the contemporary global issues. Hope to read more from you.
Keep writing such a beautiful piece of writing.
Green Cheers from Nepal,
Yours,
Sandhya Adhikari
Posted 02-09-2019 15:37
Hey Kushal,
Thank you for reading and commenting on my report! I appreciate the time taken to read this.
Sincerely yours,
Rosa
Posted 02-09-2019 12:39
Hey Alok!
Thank you for reading and commenting on my report! I appreciate the time taken to read this.
Posted 02-09-2019 12:38
Hello Rosa
I do hope that you are fine and doing great with your works.
Thank you for your report about other Factors to Consider that May be Harming the amazon. Thanks for the very insightful report dear.
Green Cheers from Nepal :)
Keep writing great reports.
We are eager to read more reports from you.
Regards,
Kushal Naharki
Posted 02-09-2019 04:51
Wow!
Posted 02-09-2019 04:30
Hey there Roshma!
Thank you for reading my work and asking that good question.
The answer to that question is that it is not helping th Amazon at all. You see, the environmentalists have been trying to urgue that the continuous burning of the forest is only deteriorating the resource, but the government seems to pay heed to farmers because the agricultural industry in Bolivia is one of its economic strengths. This is why they'd rather destroy the Amazon to make money than listen to environmental advocates.
I hope I dissected the issue to your convenience...
:D
Thank you for asking me the question Roshma!
Stay blessed,
Rosa
Posted 02-09-2019 03:13
Hi! It's great to know that your report addresses the current global issue and is really informative too. But I was confused in a part of your report which said, 'Bolivia's government recently authorised farmers to burn 20 hectares instead of the usual 5 hectares'. How is it helping to control burning? I would really feel grateful if u could explain this.
However thanks a lot for your report. It had some really great informations.
Posted 02-09-2019 02:47
Thank you Meena!!!
Posted 02-09-2019 02:16
wow!!! what a informative report.
keep writing and shining to inspire us.
Posted 02-09-2019 02:15