Amazon Rainforest Flashcards
What are examples of mitigation strategies in the Amazon Rainforest
Establishing protected areas and national parks
Sustainable Logging and Agroforestry
International Agreements and Funding
Reforestation and Afforestation Initiatives
What is mitigation?
The strategies employed to reduce the harmful impacts of human activity on ecosystems such as deforestation, biodiversity loss and climate change
How many large is the Amazon Rainforest?
Largest rainforest in the world covering 5.5 million square km across 9 countries
How much carbon is stored in the Amazon Rainforest?
120 billion tones of carbon
How much of the world’s oxygen supply does the Amazon produce?
20% of the world’s oxygen
How much rainforest loss has deforestation contributed to since 1970?
deforestation has led to the loss of 17% since 1970
What do scientists predict?
predict that if deforestation reaches 25% then a ‘tipping point’ is reached where the Amazon turns to Savannah and begins to release billion tones of carbon
How does the establishment of protected areas and national parks aim to mitigate the effects of climate change?
Aim to reduce human activity such as logging, agriculture and mining to protect biodiversity
what is an example of a protected park in the Amazon?
Jau national park
what is an example of an organisation which helps to protect areas?
Brazil Amazon Region Protected Areas Programme (ARPA)
How has the establishment of protected areas been effective?
Protected areas have 7% less deforestation than surrounding areas
Tumucumaque maintained its dense canopy maintaining biodiversity like the golden lion and harpy eagle
ARPA alone prevents the release of 430 million tones of carbon
How has the establishment of protected areas not been effective?
Relies on effective and strong enforcement and weak enforcement allowed illegal activities to persist
in 2020 1.5 million hectares of protected Amazon rainforest has illegally been destroyed
May be undermined by political shifts like president Bolsonaro who reduced funding for environmental agencies
Protected areas may cause conflict for locals which has led to economic hardship because locals rely on land for traditional medicine and food
How does sustainable logging and agroforestry aim to protect the Amazon Rainforest?
Involves selective tree harvesting to minimize ecological disruption whereas agroforestry integrates trees into agriculture. Both aim to provide economic benefits while reducing ecological harm
How has sustainable logging and agroforestry been effective in mitigating the impacts of climate change in the Amazon Rainforest?
selectively logged forests retain 76% of biodiversity compared to only 10% clear cutting
sustainable forestry certifications implemented to ensure companies like Precious Woods maintain sustainable logging practices
Effective in protecting livelihoods e.g. shade grown coffee and cacao plantations allow farmers to grow crops under a canopy of native trees which also provides nutrient rich soil to increase agricultural productivity
In parts of Brazil agroforestry has increased household income by 20-30% compared to slash and burn techniques
How has sustainable logging and agroforestry not been effective in mitigating the impacts of climate change?
Sustainable logging only represents 2% of timber production and is dominated by illegal logging
Under competition from commercial large scale soy and palm plantations with monocultures which earn higher short-term profit as they have a much higher agricultural output
How do international agreements aim to mitigate the impacts of climate change?
Global initiatives like REDD (Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation) and bilateral agreements like the Amazon Fund aim to maintain economic opportunities sustainably
REDD provides payments for reductions in deforestation related emissions, while the Amazon Fund supported by Norway and Germany invested over $1 billion in conservative projects
how have international agreements and funding been successful in mitigating the impacts of climate change?
Had success in areas like Columbia where forest loss has been reduced by 63%
Amazon Fund supported initiatives such as satellite imagery and sustainable agriculture which contributes to a 70% decline in Brazil’s deforestation rates 2004-2012
how have international agreements and funding not been successful in mitigating climate change impacts?
struggles with effective governance and accountability and can be undermined by its reliance on international funding
lacks a deterrent to ensure guidlines are followed
Contribution to Amazon Fund suspended in 2019 due to the Brazil’s government rollingback on environmental funding
Undermined by international demand for soy and beef
How does reforestation and afforestation aim to mitigate the impacts of climate change on the rainforest?
Reforestation aims to restore depleted forests and afforestation aims to create forest in non-forested areas
Brazil’s “Planting the Future” programme aims to reforest 12 million hectares by 2030 with international NGO’S and TNC’S launching smaller projects to offset carbon emissions
How has reforestation been successful in mitigating the impacts of climate change?
reforestation rebuilds key critical ecosystem services such as carbon sequestration, water cycle regulation and habitat restoration
Hectare of reforested area sequests 8 tones of carbon annually
conservation internationals initiative in Brazil restored 73,000 hectares of degraded land
how has reforestation and afforestation not been effective?
May prioritize the planting of monoculture which lacks natural biodiversity and can deplete soil quality
survival of planted trees is below 60% so long term financial investment which is expensive
monoculture is susceptible to disease due to a lack of genetic diversity meaning crops can be destroyed by 1 disease
