Amazon rainforest deforestation not slowing down

Despite (alleged) efforts on local and international level Amazon rainforest is still being heavily destroyed. The latest report (29th September 2008) issued by Brazilian officials said that the Amazon is being deforested more than twice as fast as last year, which is huge disappointment after three ears of declines in the deforestation rate.

This alarming news is mainly the result of increased food prices that are stimulating soy farmers and cattle ranchers to clear more forest area for farms and pastures. There is also the problem of local authorities in the Amazon region that do not want to see daily illegal logging just to get more votes on the next election.

Amazon deforestation in August 2008 jumped incredible 228 percent when compared to the same month a year ago, with more than 290 square miles of Amazon destroyed in August this year, compared to the about 90 square miles in August last year. But things could be even more worse as institute that uses satellite imagery to monitor illegal logging fears that even more rainforest has been destroyed because no information was available for about quarter of the Amazon covered by clouds during the tracking.

Amazon deforestation again on the rise. Amazon is being deforested more than twice as fast in 2008 as in 2007.

This news should really ring some bells that current efforts are simply not enough, and that there is still a lot of hard work in front of not only Brazilian government, but also in front of international community. Amazon rainforest is vital from many different reasons, and its preservation duty of the highest priority. And we are running short, both on time as well as forest.