Amazon Deforestation Essay

571 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Solve the problem of deforestation

A few may argue that issue of deforestation is one of the major problems that human-beings are facing. Over million square kilometers of forests are disappearing in order to accommodate industrial, agricultural and urban consumption. According to National Geographic's figures, naturally- occurring forests cover approximately 30% of the planet and they are being cut in progressive rate (Climate 101 2016). Especially, only in Amazon rainforest over 750 000 km² of land have been devastated since 1978 (Butler, 2015). It appears to be the serious problem because deforestation leads to consequential difficulties such as loss of vegetation and animals, climate change, soil degradation. Nevertheless, there have been several possible methods proposed …show more content…

Problem overview At the present time, one of the key areas which are deteriorating from continuous deforestation acts would be Amazon rainforest. Amazon is the largest, covering "nearly three million square miles, an area nearly as large as the entire United States. It spans nine South American countries from Brazil in the east to Peru in the west. (Mitchell, 37). Amazon dwellings a significant amount of planet’s animal world and vegetation. To be precise, scientists estimate that almost 8700 of the 15000 species are in danger of extinction because of regional projected deforestation (Connor, 2015). In addition to biodiversity, loss deforestation is accelerating the climate change. Vegetation in rainforests is truly important when it comes to keeping CO2 balance and water cycle. Nevertheless, more than of forests are being cleared since 2000 and it is a serious threat to our planet. (Butler, 2017) REDD+ (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation) Global problems are most likely to find an effective solution when countries all around the world are

Show More
Related

  • Deforestation In The Amazon Rainforest

    958 Words  | 2 Pages

    Deforestation is the clearing of a forest and/or cutting down of trees for human benefits such as agriculture, wood exports, etc. Deforestation is the cause of numerous environmental impacts such as habitat loss, flooding and soil erosion. It can also cause climate change, by reducing the amount of rainfall and changing the amount of sunlight reflected from Earth’s surface and increases the risk of forest . Tree growth is important for biodiversity because they absorb carbon dioxide which is a harmful greenhouse gas . However, since deforestation reduces natural carbon sinks, it disrupts the balance between oxygen and carbon dioxide in the air causing the amount of carbon dioxide in the air to increase. This poses a serious threat since carbon dioxide traps the sun’s heat and radiated light inside the earth’s atmosphere. So, with the increase in carbon dioxide more heat is trapped and thus adding to the effects of global warming. Among the many places where deforestation takes place, Amazon seems to be one of the most affected ones. More than 20 percent of it is already gone, and much more of it is severely threatened due to deforestation . It is estimated that the Amazon alone is vanishing at a rate of 20,000 square miles a year .

    Read More

  • Persuasive Essay On Deforestation

    765 Words  | 2 Pages

    “The Earth is 4.6 billion years old. Scaling to 46 years, human have been here 4 hours, the industrial revolution began 1 minute ago, and in that time, we’ve destroyed more than half the world’s forests.” - Unknown. One major environmental problem in our world is deforestation - what is that, you ask? According to the Merriam Webster Dictionary, deforestation is the action or process of clearing of forests. Some consequences of this include a large contribution to global warming and climate change (about 1.5 billion tons of carbon dioxide each year), loss of biodiversity especially in tropical rainforests, and the extinction of many known or yet to be discovered species. But, through some Debt-for-Nature Swaps, leaving forests

    Read More

  • Long Term Negative Effects of Deforestation in the Amazon

    1638 Words  | 4 Pages

    Thus, deforestation is one of the biggest problems in the world that people have to consider because it has three main long term effects: land desertification, species extinction and climate change. The research paper will discuss and consider the long-term negative effect on the Amazon rainforest which is caused by deforestation. First, the paper will present the causes and effects of land deforestation. Another consideration is endangered species extinction that could affect the Amazon’s biodiversity. Finally, the paper will focus on how climate change and global warming affect the Amazon and what people should do in order to save the forests and solve those problems.

    Read More

  • Tragedy of Deforestation in Brazil and Indonesia

    1228 Words  | 3 Pages

    On average millions of hectares of forests are destroyed each year resulting in severe consequences that will affect not only our lifestyle, but also all the animals with which we share our planet. Many species of animals and plants will become extinct and if we continue with the destruction of our forests, earth will be unable to sustain life.

    Read More

  • Possible Solutions of Deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon

    2778 Words  | 6 Pages

    Nowadays deforestation is the one of the most important and controversial environmental issues in the world. Deforestation is cutting down, clearing away or burning trees or forests. Particularly tropical rainforests are the most waning type of forests because of its location in developing countries such as Indonesia, the Philippines, India, central African countries and Brazil. Deforestation rate in those regions is high enough to worry about, because of large economic potential of forest areas. As the result of causes such as agriculture land expansion, logging for timber, fire blazing and settling infrastructure there might be serious impacts in future. For instance, extinction of endemic species of animals and plants which will be feral, increase of greenhouse gas emissions which may lead to global warming and consecutive catastrophes, destruction of home for indigenous residents which is considered as violation of human rights. Some people can argue with these drawbacks telling that deforestation have more valuable benefits such as growth of economics, production of food and providing better opportunities for life for poor families. However, these benefits are quite temporary and government of that countries and world organisations tries to halt deforestation proposing several solutions. Deforestation problem is especially acute in the Brazilian Amazon, where its rate is much high comparing with other regions. This paper will describe world-wide rainforests, causes and effects of deforestation, and evaluate possible solutions of deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon.

    Read More

  • Deforestation Essay

    609 Words  | 2 Pages

    First of all I would have to say that yes it has a great impact on our global warming and I will go on to explain to you how it affects our planet. We as a whole have let the dollar get in the way of how our planet is affected, some would say at all costs. It is true we have refineries, car pollution, but most of all deforestation of tropical areas. In the National Geographic Magazine you will come to see and appreciate the facts of how deforestation has affected our nation and has spiraled into global warming. We can look at Brazil’s rainforest that is estimated to be larger than two hundred football fields it will be destroyed before you are even able to read the article at hand (Magazine, 1996-2014). It has been noted that within the past 40 years we have managed to do more damage than what was done in the four hundred and fifty (450) years since the European Colonization even began. That sent chills through my bones when I read that, imagine how much tropical areas have been affected. We have destroyed twen...

    Read More

  • The Amazon Crisis: Crisis In The Amazon

    931 Words  | 2 Pages

    One reason that people should stop cutting down the rainforest is because many plants and animals are being harmed and losing their homes. The Amazon is home to many more than half of the world’s specimen of plants and animals. Over 70% of the rainforest’s animals and plants live on the subcanopy, or the second highest level of the trees. When you destroy even one tree, many plants and animals, either die or have to find new homes. Many of these tropical plants also have medicinal values such as curing malaria. Sadly, according to Michael Greenwell, the deforestation of the Amazon has led to 26 species of plants and animals and 644 species to be on the brink of endangerment. According to UNEP, about 857,666 square kilometers of land has been lost in one year. The area lost is approximately the size of Venezuela. To keep cutting down trees in the rainforest would be dooming 38 species to extinction. It may seem that the Amazon is vast in recourses and cutting down one tree will not harm much, but if we ...

    Read More

  • The Controversy of Deforestation

    2612 Words  | 6 Pages

    Deforestation is a widely used term, but one with different meanings. Disturbance deforestation refers to all man made disturbances that alter a forest, these are the most common. This argumentative essay discusses the positive and negative aspects of deforestation. In the first part of the essay the pro arguments of deforestation will be discussed. For example, the issue of Global population and how forests are being used, land use and the ways forests contribute, wood use, forest growth, destruction and the reasons for cutting down the trees. The second half of the essay will cover the issues that are harmful to the environment because of deforestation. Many environmental issues take place everyday; a big question that arises, is if the global economy will ever finds middle on the issue of forest thinning. If deforestation was used only in the most crucial of times, the world might become a better place.

    Read More

  • Destruction of the Amazon Rainforest

    1772 Words  | 4 Pages

    In South America lies the largest and most wondrous rainforest in the world, the Amazon Rainforest. This 1.4 billion acre forest represents over half of the planets remaining rainforests, and comprises the largest and most bio-diverse tract of rainforest in the world. Ten percent of all known species on the planet are found in this rain forest, most of which have yet to be discovered. For the past century, the Amazon has been gradually decreasing in size due to agricultural expansion, ranching, infrastructure projects, energy exploration and illegal logging. At its current state, the Amazon is losing land equal to the size of the state of Delaware every year. The destruction of this forest releases 340 million tons of carbon per year according to the World Wildlife Foundation, or WWF, which in turn cause climate changes everywhere around the world. Undiscovered species can hold the key to curing a plethora of diseases, but if those species become extinct those keys are lost forever. If nothing is done to prevent this, the world’s treasure trove of bio-diversity will cease to exist, creating irreversible damage to not only the South American people but also the rest of the world.

    Read More

  • Deforestation In The Amazon Essay

    827 Words  | 2 Pages

    With deforestation at such a large scale, as it is in the Amazon, it is bound to have harsh and negative effects. When deforestation occurs, the dead or burnt trees release gases into the air. Gas molecules that absorb thermal infrared radiation are called greenhouse gases. If greenhouse gases are in large enough quantity, they can force climate change. When trees die, have fallen, or are burned down, they release the carbon that has been stored in them.

    Read More

  • Deforestation and Biodiversity

    2666 Words  | 6 Pages

    Deforestation, defined by biologist Charles Southwick as "the destruction of forests; may involve clear-cutting or selective logging" (p. 365), is a predominantly human-driven process that is dramatically altering ecosystems worldwide. "Clear-cutting" involves the indiscriminant removal of every single plant and tree species from within a selected area. The other major process of deforestation, "selective logging," focuses removal efforts on only specific, predetermined tree species within a chosen area. The statistics gathered about human deforestation over time are considerable, and they can be somewhat controversial. Depending on the source and the location selected, the magnitude of deforestation varies. Southwick estimates that, approximately 10,000 years ago, 6.2 billion hectares (23.9 million square miles) of forest existed on earth (p. 117). That figure is equivalent to 45.5% of the earth's total land. He further estimates that, by 1990, this amount had declined 30%, with only 4.3 billion hectares of forest remaining (p. 117). Southwick also acknowledges other estimates that place the total amount of deforestation between 50% and 75% (p. 117). NASA has similar deforestation statistics that confirm these trends. According to their website, 16.5% of the Brazilian Amazon forests have been destroyed. They also note similar magnitudes of deforestation in Southeast Asia (Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam), despite the significantly smaller total area of forest within these countries. These grim figures are somewhat tempered by the NASA finding that, over the past ten years, the deforestation rate has declined from 6,200 square miles per year to 4,800 square miles per year. Though this trend is n...

    Read More

  • Deforestation Essay

    1140 Words  | 3 Pages

    This is alarming since recent data indicates these enormous forests are land-dwelling carbon absorbers that could help to slow worldwide climate alteration. The United Nations ' Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) estimates “eighteen million acres of forests have been destroyed worldwide;” and NASA forecasts “that if current deforestation rates are not reduced, rainforests could become entirely eradicated in a century.” The nations with substantial deforestation are Brazil, Indonesia, Thailand, Africa (The Democratic Republic of Congo included), and remote areas of Eastern Europe. Indonesia, the country with the greatest deforestation within the last century, has lost approximately forty million acres of indigenous

    Read More

  • Deforestation And Climate Change Essay

    975 Words  | 2 Pages

    Forests are vital for life and have many important functions. They are home to millions of species and protect soil from erosion. Along with this they produce oxygen which is vital for human life, store carbon dioxide and help control climate. They also provide humans with shelter, food and medicines vital for life.

    Read More

  • Discussion of the Issue of Deforestation

    604 Words  | 2 Pages

    Deforestation is the amputation of trees from forest areas more swiftly than they can be replanted or regenerate naturally. The fact that trees play an incredibly momentous part in stabilising climate, atmospheric composition and soil structure, removing trees rapidly becomes a major problem. There are numerous reasons behind the felling of trees by mankind. The Amazon basin is a prime example of humans exploiting rainforests. Within this tropical rainforest lie a vast variety of tree species, with many uses, giving humans even more reason to exploit this area.

    Read More

  • The Disappearing Rainforests

    1633 Words  | 4 Pages

    The Disappearing Rainforests Conserving the rainforest is a global issue of great importance. Tropical rainforests provide a habitat for animals, a unique ecosystem for vegetation, and an abundance of resources for humans, yet they are being destroyed at an astonishing rate. Experts estimate that if these endangered territories continue to be consumed in this manner, no more will be standing in forty years (Rainforest). Examining the social, environmental, and economic costs of the continued destruction of the Earth's tropical rainforests will prove that deforestation for short-term profit is ultimately not viable.

    Read More

More about Amazon Deforestation Essay

Open Document