Amazon Deforestation

The Amazon Forest, the largest forest in the world, has lost about 23 million hectares of forest in the past five years, an area almost the size of the United Kingdom. The main causes of this loss are mining and farming, among others. Despite many countries deciding to help address this issue, the Amazon still experiences a third of global tropical deforestation, amounting to 1.5 million hectares of land lost each year (Earth.org). The major beef producers in the world are China and the United States. An estimated 81,081 square meters of forest land are lost annually for meat production, 80% of which occurs in the Amazon (Earth.org). This loss is primarily due to the expansion of pastures for beef production. Another significant cause of this destruction is gold mining, which occurs deep within the Amazon rainforest, home to crucial habitats. Additionally, mining introduces toxic leaks that contaminate the forest soils, harming many plant species (Earth.org). Another reason for the destruction is that the Amazon has become a significant source of carbon and is found to emit more carbon dioxide than it absorbs. Forest fires release three times more carbon than the forests can absorb, creating a negative feedback loop (Earth.org). In conclusion, the Amazon is facing a major crisis, experiencing increasing destruction every year, leading to the decline or struggle of various habitats.