International Year of Forests - Crisis in the Amazon

"In the Amazon rainforest region, deforestation impacts around 30 million people and 350 indigenous and ethnic groups. Yet the Amazon, and other forests like it, are fast-becoming major casualties of civilization as growing human populations increasingly threaten these important biomes. Forests currently account for approximately one third of the Earth's land mass, and 2011 was declared International Year of Forests by the United Nations."

There has been a lot of attention give to the Brazilian Amazon in the news recently. Unfortunately, most of them are not good. In the past month 5 local activists have been killed over land and logging disputes. The rate of deforestation has risen 5 times in the months of march and april, based on the same period in 2010. A new forest code is being discussed (and has been approved by congress, with only the president now with power to veto it) and it promises amnesty to all illegal logging to date. A new hidro-power plant (Usina Belo Monte) has been approved for construction - big yes for renewable energy - but this project has very serious impacts that may undermine any positive outcome: the displacement of local indigenous populations; flooding of more than 256 square miles; the creation of a huge dam in one of the most important rivers in the area - the Xingu river... the impact list is long and they are expecting its maximum output to be only 33% of the built capacity! It made our most vocal and active indigenous tribe lider Raoni cry.

With this year being declared International Year of Forests by the United Nations I hope that it will bring even more attention to the issues of deforestation, social inequality, labor, energy and land use. The situation in the Amazon is so critical and the area is so huge that it is hard to imagine what really goes on there. Knowing how the Brazilian government can be, sometimes I have to hope for some miracle... but despite it all, many are still fighting and all I can think of is how can I contribute.

For a good source of Amazon related news, click here

For more information on the Hidropower plant and to sign a petition, click here