A report from the Carnegie Institution, California, USA, published on October 20, reveals a much worse situation than what we know about the devastation occurring in the Amazon rainforest in Brazil, which is considered the “lungs” of the world.
Scientists from the institution stated that the Amazon rainforest is being destroyed at twice the estimated rate. Data analyzed from satellites, using new optical technology, allows for surveys beneath the dense canopy, exposing the selective logging practices that are widespread in this area.
On average, between 12,000 to 20,000 km² of the Amazon rainforest is selectively logged each year, without complete clearing, leading to the loss of many precious timber species.
Previously, satellite images made it very difficult to detect this issue.
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Satellite image of the Amazon rainforest taken in 1999. The pink spots indicate areas of deforestation. (Image from an external website) |
The Amazon rainforest, regarded as the “lungs” of the world due to its vast area, plays a critical role in absorbing greenhouse gases. If this function declines, emissions will escape and linger in the atmosphere, harming the living environment for humans on Earth.
The Amazon is home to about one-third of all species on the planet, from insects to large mammals, but their populations have been rapidly declining since the 1970s when humans began burning and exploiting the forest for land for various purposes.
In just the past three decades, 17% of the Amazon rainforest has been repurposed for other uses.