Special thanks to:
Amazon Watch is a non-profit organization founded in 1996 that aims to protect the Amazon rainforest and the rights of the indigenous people living in the Amazon. The organization is located in San Francisco, California and is partnered with a large number of envoironmental and indigenous rights protection organizations in countries such as Ecuador, Peru, Brazil and Colombia. How does Amazon Watch Help the Environment and Indigenous People's Rights?
Deforestation is the biggest danger to the Amazon. The entirety of the Amazon rainforest lies on the territory of industrially developing nations that are in desperate need of resources to drive their economies. The rainforest comes in very handy for this purpose. Politicians of these countries acknowledge the natural hazards of deforestation but they claim that for the well-being of their country they have no choice then to export logs and products manufactured from wood.
The statistics regarding the deforestation of the Amazon are very terrifying. If someone claims the contrary then please refer to the following statistics:
Since 1970 around 20% of the rainforest has been cut down; every year the rate of deforestation of the Amazon is increasing considerably despite international pressures; the total area of current deforestation is almost of the size of Texas or almost two times that of Peru. So, not matter what kind of information you read before this, the message that the data above conveys is very terrifying. And if you think that it's not a problem since new trees are being planted in the place of the old ones then you are wrong. The deforested areas are being used as pastures or agricultural land, meaning no new trees will be planted whatsoever. Amazon watch already pointed out on multiple occasions that if deforestation continues it will soon reach a point where the forest will not be able to recover anymore.
