Destruction of Rainforests in Brazil Hits Record Levels

Varieties

December 3rd, 7:37am

London - Asharq Al-Awsat

An aerial view shows a deforested plot of the Amazon near Porto Velho, Rondonia State, Brazil, Sept. 17, 2019. Reuters.

Deforestation of rainforests in Brazil's Amazon region has reached a 12-year high, Brazil's National Institute for Space Research (Inpe), which is responsible for monitoring the rainforest, said this week. Between August 2019 and July 2020, 11,088 square kilometers of jungle were cut down in the region, which represent the largest area removed since 2008, according to Inpe. This corresponds to about 4,340 football fields per day or three football fields per minute. Deforestation increased by 9.5 percent compared to the same period last year. The Amazon rainforest is also under threat in other countries, including Colombia, where armed groups chase rangers out of protected areas, the World Wide Fund for Nature has previously said. Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro sees the region as untapped economic potential and seeks to develop more land for agriculture, mining, and energy production. He has rejected international criticism of his environmental policy, saying it's interference in domestic affairs.

from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/2661726/destruction-rainforests-brazil-hits-record-levels