Sunday, August 3, 2008

Amazon rainforest - Brazil in need of donations

Deforestation is big threat to the world's largest rainforest, namely the Amazon rainforest. Logging and burning in Amzon rainforest releases about 400 million tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere every year, which is about 80 % of total of Brazil's emission of greenhouse gases. Rainforests are also important because they have nature ability to act as a carbon sink and can slow down increase of CO2 emission into the atmosphere which is vital if we want to fight against global warming.

Protection of the Amazon rainforest has really become a necessity and Brazil has to lead the way in efforts to protect the Amazon rain forest and combat global warming. This is the main reason why Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva signed a decree creating a fund that will seek donations from developed countries that should stop current rate of deforestation in Amazon rainforest. Some estimations say that this fund could raise as much as $21 billion by 2021 for projects promoting alternatives to rain forest destruction.

In order to achieve this Brazilian government will not only need a necessary funding but also a strategic plan that would mean serious fight against current deforestation. This strategic plan should also include methods that would reduce poverty of many population in Brazil that are forced to create more farms just to survive. This will be by no means an easy task but large fund should be a first big step in achieving this.

Almost 20 % of Amazon rainforest is already destroyed, and if we want to have any chance in fight against climate change and global warming, we need to protect our biggest rainforest. Otherwise consequences may be fatal.

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