Brazil announces plan to slow Amazon deforestation by 70%

From Treehugger we report here this important news.

A few months ago Brazil announced that rates of deforestation in the Amazon increased 3.8% over the previous year and that it would be taking steps to crack down on illegal logging, land clearing (sometimes by burning) and illegal settlements. The country also established the Amazon Fund to solicit international monetary donations to help fund anti-deforestation efforts.

Now Brazil has announced that it has a plan to reduce deforestation by 70%, or about 6,000 square km per year. According to Environment Minister Carlos Minc, the plan would have the following effect:

Just in terms of avoided deforestation in the Amazon, the plan foresees a reduction of 4.8 bn tons of carbon dioxide that won't be emitted up to 2018 – which is more than the reduction efforts fixed by all rich countries.

Slowing Deforestation isn't Enough, it's Got to Stop!

First of all, good on Brazil for doing something to slow deforestation, but the way in which its being presented is misleading at first read: Under this plan deforestation will still be happening, just at a slower rate. Large swaths of forest will still be felled each year.

The original BBC article also quoted a Brazilian Greenpeace representative, who summed up well Brazil's actions:

The biggest Brazilian contribution to the fight against climate change is to bring deforestation to an end in the Amazon. In adopting timid targets the government is showing that it is going in the right direction, but at the wrong speed, because the problem requires urgent solutions.

Via: Treehug