Human Pressure on the Brazilian Amazon Forests - Essay Example

“The Future of the Forest” published on June 11, 2009, in The Economist describes how deforestation in the Amazon occurred since the 19th century. The author provides historical facts and statistical figures researched by government and private agencies, to show that the Brazilian government had not been able to stop or to slow down deforestation in the Amazon so far. The author, a staunch environmentalist, analyzes the various steps taken by the Brazilian government in implementing land reforms and the minimal impact it had on deforestation; so that people and international organizations can come up with such solutions that have an instant effect on controlling deforestation of the Amazon.

This article throws light on a critical issue of which I had very little knowledge earlier. It opened my eyes to the negative side of globalization that basically triggered deforestation of the Amazon. Though the author has partially blamed the local people that are involved in logging and cattle ranching; in my opinion, the government is solely responsible for not keeping its laws strict enough for people to avoid committing environmental crimes. The government has introduced Plano Amazonia to develop the Amazon forests which would further increase the rate of deforestation. Loggers and cattle farmers work together and keep moving the agricultural frontier upwards after having deforested some parts of the Amazon. At the cost of deforestation, Brazil has become the largest beef exporter in the whole world. With the efforts of environmentalists, the big exporters of soya bean and beef have pledged not to buy from growers in the Amazon, which is commendable and would save the Amazon forests to a great deal.

Congress has approved a land reform bill that claims to end illegal farming and environmental crimes but environmentalists are wary of it. Illegal land holdings are prevalent in the Amazon. The new law aims to introduce land regularization and eventually stop deforestation but it is very difficult for the weak Brazilian state to enforce it.

Environmentalists have proposed commercializing the products of the forests, which would benefit the local people as well. Amazon funds have been set up by the Brazilian government and many countries, the UN and private companies shall donate to put an end to deforestation. Building roads through the forests to connect far-off areas is essential for economic development, despite the effect that it would contribute to deforestation. Efforts are underway to preserve the forests as a large national park while benefitting from the industries in the Amazon but it will take decades to accomplish this.

This article can invite split opinions by other people after reading this article because some would advocate the decision of the Brazilian government to build roads for the economic development of the Amazon, yet other people might object to this decision because building roads through the forests is yet another way of further deforesting the Amazon. The huge amount of revenue collected from exporting soya bean and beef should have been directed to improve the conditions of the people living in the Amazon. It is not them but the mafia that has benefitted from cutting down trees.

The purpose of this report is to clearly identify such areas that have received the most human pressure and how forest fires, mineral exploration, logging, and roads have contributed to the deforestation of the Amazon.

It is a very informative and authentic report and the graphical presentation of this report makes it easy to visualize the impact of human pressure on Amazon. Before reading this article, I only had a vague idea about the extent to which human pressure can make an impact on deforestation; however, this article explains clearly how the creation of urban zones and Agrarian Reform Settlements played their roles in the deforestation of the Amazon. I agree with the report that admits that the statistics shown might underestimate illegal logging and there is a dire need to carry out intensive research through satellite monitoring of illegal logging in the Amazon. Other people reading this report might want to refer to recently published reports because the statistical facts provided in this report are of a decade ago.