The program to combat illegal logging will receive 730 million reais ($146 million), funded by the Amazonia Foundation, including donations from several countries and other government mechanisms.
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva presents a new program to combat deforestation in the Amazon. It will provide financial support to communities committed to protecting the biome.
“The problem of deforestation is not the problem of the government, but of the entire state of Brazil“and fight against it”it is our responsibility“said Lula at an event attended by dozens of mayors of Amazon communities.”It is everyone’s responsibility“.
Illegal logging has a devastating impact on the environment, local communities and the economy.
Record: In 2021, illegal deforestation in the Amazon reached its highest level in 15 years, with a total of 13,235 square kilometers of forest lost.
Causes: The main causes of illegal logging are the expansion of livestock farming, agriculture and illegal mining.
Effects: Illegal deforestation has devastating environmental impacts, including biodiversity loss, greenhouse gas emissions and land degradation.
Illegal deforestation destroys the habitat of millions of animals and plants and leads to species extinction. Trees absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Illegal logging causes this carbon to enter the atmosphere, contributing to climate change. It can lead to soil erosion, nutrient loss and desertification. Forests play an important role in regulating the water cycle. This can lead to changes in rainfall patterns and water availability. Logged forests are more vulnerable to wildfires, which can cause even more environmental damage.
Fight logging to save the planet’s lungs
Below are some specific statistics regarding illegal logging in Brazil:
- 2021: 13,235 square kilometers of forest in the Amazon region were illegally cut down.
- 2020: 10,851 square kilometers of forest in the Amazon region were illegally cut down.
- 2012: 4,571 square kilometers of forest were illegally logged in the Amazon region (lowest recorded deforestation).
- 1997–2013: A total of 248,000 square kilometers of forest was lost.
- 2015: 169% increase in illegal deforestation compared to 2014.
It’s important to remember that these statistics only represent part of the problem. Therefore, it is crucial to combat illegal logging. Because it is a complex activity that is difficult to quantify, the actual numbers could be much higher.
According to the President ““To maintain and combat deforestation in the largest forest reserve in the world, protected by Brazil.”it is necessary “Improving the financial situation of municipalities that need help to take care of it and be a partner in protecting the Amazon“
Lula reiterated that all efforts to protect the environment must take into account the social aspect, especially in regions such as the Amazon, where almost 25 million people live. “We must protect the jungle and recognize that it is home to indigenous peoples, fishermen and farmers who need adequate living and working conditions.“, he emphasized.
The anti-logging program will receive 730 million reais ($146 million), funded by the Amazonia Foundation, including donations from several countries and other government mechanisms. This includes the federal government donating equipment and training personnel to prevent deforestation and forest fires, all as part of Brazil’s commitment to achieve deforestation in the Amazon by 2030.
The new plan consolidates other measures taken by Brazil since Lula’s return on January 1, 2023, and began reactivating environmental programs abandoned under the government of his far-right predecessor Jair Bolsonaro (2019–2022).
The new program to combat illegal logging was announced after a meeting between government officials responsible for environmental policy and members of the European Economic and Social Committee, a body within the European Commission.
The European delegation present at the ceremony arrived in Brazil to discuss a comprehensive agenda that includes working with the country to combat climate change.
With information from: