Brazil records 14th consecutive month of rise in Amazon deforestation

Deforestation in Brazil’s section of the Amazon has risen from the 14th consecutive month during June. According to reports, preliminary data from the government states that deforestation has risen by 10 per cent in June as compared to the same time a late year. This data has increased the pressure on the Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro who has been heavily criticized for not doing enough to protect the Amazon rainforest that many consider them as the ‘lungs of the world’.

Amazon rainforest in great danger

As per reports, if the rate of deforestation increases in the month of July as well then Brazil will be on track for recording annual deforestation of 15,000 square kilometres of forest cover. This would be a sever increase from the 10,129 square kilometres of forest cover lost last year and the highest amount since 2005.

Environmentalists, conservationists and researchers have blamed the Brazilian President for emboldening illegal loggers, ranchers and land speculators.  Bolsonaro is also accused of weakening environmental protections, as well as encouraging commercial mining and farming in the Amazon to develop the country.

Read: Brazil Deploys Armed Forces To Prevent Deforestation In Amazon Rainforest

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In response, Bolsonaro has claimed that he is being framed by foreign powers and claims that Brazil under his has an amazing environmental track record. Researchers strongly believe that the protection and conservation of the Amazon rainforest is key to stopping the effects of climate change, because the Amazon rainforest remover vast quantities of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, this is also the reason it is called the ‘lungs of the world’.

Read: World Lost A Football Pitch Sized Area Of Rainforest Every Six Seconds In 2019

Read: Colombia Lost 159,000 Hectares Of Forest Cover To Deforestation In 2019: Report

Deforestation in Colombia

Colombia has lost over 100,000 hectares of forest, roughly the size of the Brazilian city of Sao Paolo, due to deforestation in 2019. According to recent official reports, Colombia lost about 159,000 hectares of forest cover last year. While the figure is staggering in itself, it is actually a viable 19 per cent less than the deforestation it experienced the previous year. In 2018, Colombia was reported to have lost 197,000 hectares of forest cover.

(Image Credit Pixabay)