SAVE THE AMAZON, SAVE THE EARTH

By Leonardo Boff Reprint | | Print |

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RIO DE JANEIRO, Dec 1 2006 (IPS) - Brazil today is being pulled between the need for economic growth and the need to preserve its natural resources, which is especially critical with regard to the Amazon, writes Leonardo Boff, a Brazilian theologian and writer. In this article, Boff writes that the Amazon contains the majority of the world\’s rain forests, fresh water reserves, and the richest trove of biodiversity. The ecological future of the earth and life upon it depends largely on how the Amazon is treated. When he took office in 2003, President Lula named as minister of the environment Marina da Silva, a former rubber tapper and collaborator of Chico Mendes, martyr to the preservation of the Amazon. Da Silva walked into a grim situation. In the 2000/2001 period, the area deforested was 18,165 square kilometres, increasing to 23,143 the following year. To address this situation the government approved in 2004 the Action Plan for the Prevention and Control of Amazon Deforestation, which affects the action of 13 ministries. The results have been positive. In 2004/2005, the rate of deforestation was reduced by 31 percent, and even better results are expected for 2006. The Lula government is generating awareness of the strategic importance of the Amazon for Brazil and for the world. This is happening in a muddle of contradictions left from a past of neglect, but the course is clear. If it can be maintained, this patrimony can be saved for humanity.

The Amazon contains the majority of the world’s rain forests, fresh water reserves, and the richest trove of biodiversity. The ecological future of the earth and life upon it depends largely on how the Amazon is treated.

Before analysing the Amazon policy of the current government of President Lula da Silva and the future of this region, it is necessary to correct two frequent mistakes:

The first is considering the Amazon as the lungs of the world. This is not at all the case. Rather, it functions as a giant sponge that absorbs carbon dioxide from the environment and so counteracts global warming. The process of photosynthesis transforms massive quantities of carbon –the main factor in global warming– into biomass. The complete deforestation of the Amazon would release into the atmosphere about 50 billion tonnes of carbon each year and cause a massive loss of life, which would be unsustainable in such conditions. For this reason, humanity’s debt to the region, according to the prestigious Getulio Vargas Foundation, would come to about 35 billion dollars.

The second, and very common, mistake is thinking that the Amazon could be the bread basket of the world. In reality, the Amazon lives off itself and for itself. It is full of life, but the ground lacks humus, which is only 30-40 centimetres deep. Thus the forest grows on top of the ground, not out of the ground. For this reason when a tree falls, it brings down others with it. And where there are no trees, the torrential rains wash away the humus and bare the sand below. This is why it is said that the Amazon could be transformed into a savanna or a desert. It never, however, could be the bread basket of the world.

Until 1968 the Amazon was almost completely intact. Then, with the introduction of major industrial and hydroelectric projects, extensive soya cultivation, grazing, and disorganised colonisation, the devastation of the Amazon began. As of today 800,000 square kilometres have been deforested — 16 percent of the 3.5 million square kilometres of the Brazilian Amazon.

When he took office in 2003, President Lula wanted to introduce a new policy for the Amazon. He named as minister of the environment Marina da Silva, a former rubber tapper and collaborator of Chico Mendes, martyr to the preservation of the Amazon. Her basic vision encompasses all spheres of government, each of which has an equal responsibility to consider environmental factors.

Da Silva walked into a grim situation. In the 2000/2001 period, the area deforested was 18,165 square kilometres, increasing to 23,143 the following year. To address this situation the government approved in 2004 the Action Plan for the Prevention and Control of Amazon Deforestation, which affects the action of 13 ministries. The results have been positive. In 2004/2005, the rate of deforestation was reduced by 31 percent, and even better results are expected for 2006.

A Law for the Management of Public Woods was also passed, defining three forms of sustainable production: the creation of 15 million hectares of conservation units for sustainable use; areas designated for community employment, like forest settlements for the cultivation of trees and protection of reserves; and third, the licensing of forest concessions for the use of forest products and services, all under the close supervision of the environmental organisations.

At present about 1.4 million hectares of natural forest have been certified and controlled. The goal is to increase this to 50 million hectares in ten years.

The Lula government is generating awareness of the strategic importance of the Amazon for Brazil and for the world. This is happening in a muddle of contradictions left from a past of neglect, but the course is clear. If it can be maintained, this patrimony can be saved for humanity. (END/COPYRIGHT IPS)