In the decade between 1996 and 2005, 19,500 sq km (7,530 sq miles) of jungle was lost on average every single year. The comparison is overused, but that really is an area about the size of Wales or New Jersey each year. It reached a peak in 2004 when more than 27,000 sq km was lost.
Then, in 2004 Brazil declared war - it said it would cut deforestation by 80% by 2020.
Seven years later and it has almost reached its goal. The latest figures, released just weeks ago, show that 2011 had the lowest rates of deforestation since records began three decades ago - just over 6,200 sq km was cut. That's 78% down on 2004, still a lot of trees - an area the about the size of Devon, or Delaware - but a huge improvement.
It's heartening to see South American governments beginning to protect their environmental legacy. Many problems still remain, but consider the difference in general attitude between now and 30 years ago (if you were alive back then) - progress is slow, but it's there.
Via the BBC:
Saving the Amazon: Winning the war on deforestation
No comments:
Post a Comment