AMAZON RAINFOREST (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Env and Eco)

Context: Scientists agree that preserving the Amazon rainforest is vital to combating global warming, but new data indicate huge swathes of the jungle that are most vital to the world's climate remain unprotected.

Amazon Rainforests

• Largest Rainforest: The Amazon is the world's largest rainforest, surpassing the combined size of the next two largest rainforests in the Congo Basin and Indonesia.
• Distribution: The majority of the forest, 60%, is in Brazil, followed by Peru with 13%, Colombia with 10%, and with minor amounts in Bolivia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Suriname, and Venezuela.
• Bounded by: The Guiana Highlands to the north, Andes Mountains to the west, Brazilian central plateau to the south, and Atlantic Ocean to the east.
• Coverage: Approximately 6.9 million square kilometers, the Amazon Basin is equivalent in size to the contiguous United States and spans about 40% of the South American continent.

Key Points of Study:

• Unprotected Critical Areas of the Amazon: Nearly 40% of the most critical regions of the Amazon rainforest, vital for curbing climate change, lack special government protection as either nature or indigenous reserves, according to an analysis by Amazon Conservation.
• Location of Unprotected Areas: These vulnerable areas are located in the far southwest of the Amazon in Peru, as well as in the far northeast, including Brazil, French Guiana, and Suriname.
• High Carbon Content: Matt Finer from Amazon Conservation's MAAP highlights that these regions contain the biggest and densest trees, along with the most continuous canopy cover, making them significant carbon reservoirs.
• Climate Risk from Deforestation: If these areas are destroyed by fire or logging, vast amounts of carbon stored in the trees would be released into the atmosphere, contributing to climate-warming greenhouse gas emissions.
• Satellite Data: The Amazon rainforest was found to contain 71.5 billion tonnes of carbon, which is roughly double the total global carbon dioxide emissions in 2022.

oThe analysis showed that 61% of the areas in the Amazon with peak carbon storage are protected as indigenous reserves or other designated lands.