{"id":2647,"date":"2022-04-22T08:58:55","date_gmt":"2022-04-22T08:58:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/climatetransform.com\/?p=2647"},"modified":"2022-06-20T18:33:52","modified_gmt":"2022-06-20T18:33:52","slug":"brazilian-deforestation-affects-the-entire-earth","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/climatetransform.com\/brazilian-deforestation-affects-the-entire-earth\/","title":{"rendered":"Brazilian Deforestation Affects the Entire Earth"},"content":{"rendered":"
\u201cIt\u2019s ours, not yours\u201d sounds like the words of a petulant child. Yet, this was the retort of Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, speaking to a European journalist in 2019.<\/span>1<\/sup><\/a><\/span><\/span> He was referring to the Brazilian Amazon rainforest, the largest in the world and a significant carbon sink.<\/span>2<\/sup><\/a><\/span><\/span> Even though 60 per cent of this mighty forest grows within Brazil\u2019s borders, Brazilian deforestation affects us all.<\/span>3<\/sup><\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n The election of right-wing President Bolsonaro spelled disaster for the Brazilian Amazon rainforest. From 2009 until 2018, the annual Brazilian deforestation rate was about 6,493 square kilometres. However, since Bolsonaro took office, the rate has accelerated to 11,088 square km per year.<\/span>4<\/sup><\/a><\/span><\/span> That is a 59 per cent increase. The repercussions of this are being felt across the globe as glaciers melt in Iceland and droughts scorch Australia.<\/span>5<\/sup><\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Deforestation around the world affects the air we breathe. This is because plants absorb carbon dioxide (CO2) from the air. In exchange, they produce the oxygen we need to survive. This process is called photosynthesis.<\/span>6<\/sup><\/a><\/span><\/span> It is among the cheapest and most effective ways to reduce the effects of climate change.<\/span>7<\/sup><\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Trees generate oxygen and store carbon on a much larger scale than most plants.<\/span>8<\/sup><\/a><\/span><\/span> For example, tropical rainforests produce an estimated 40 per cent of the Earth\u2019s oxygen. This is despite that they cover just six per cent of the land.<\/span>9<\/sup><\/a><\/span><\/span> Destroying forests prevents this from happening. Felling trees stops trees from removing CO2 from the air. Burning or leaving the wood to rot releases the carbon they have stored.<\/span>10<\/sup><\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Deforestation in Brazil, specifically in the Amazon, is reversing the rainforest\u2019s ability to soak up carbon. Large-scale degradation has caused the rainforest to emit more carbon than it had stored over the past decade.<\/span>11<\/sup><\/a><\/span><\/span> This is potentially devastating for the air we breathe and for climate change. The Amazon absorbs 1.8 billion tonnes of CO2 each year. That represents five per cent of all human-caused emissions.<\/span>12<\/sup><\/a><\/span><\/span> Without the Amazon acting as a carbon sink, we cannot meet the target of the Paris Agreement to limit global warming to well below 2\u00b0C.<\/span>13<\/sup><\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Deforestation also increases air pollution. We all share the same air. Therefore, deforestation in Brazil may affect the air we breathe, even far away from the Brazilian Amazon rainforest. Trees are extremely important for improving airflow and filtering out airborne pollutants. They have been referred to as an ecosystem’s \u201cliver\u201d since they remove toxic chemicals, like sulphur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide, through their leaves.<\/span>14<\/sup><\/a><\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Trees also remove particulate matter (PM). PM is one of the most deadly air pollutants.<\/span>15<\/sup><\/a><\/span><\/span> It consists of tiny particles from chemicals, acids, metals and dust. These are emissions from vehicles, fossil-fuel-burning factories and construction sites.<\/span> PM can easily enter human respiratory systems. It causes lung and cardiovascular diseases and exacerbates respiratory illnesses. Exposure to fine particulate matter is linked to as many as 8.9 million deaths per year worldwide.<\/span>16<\/sup><\/a><\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Indirectly, trees can also improve air quality. Simply by blocking sunlight with their foliage, they cast shade. This reduces the air temperature of the surrounding area. This can decrease the risk of harmful pollutants, such as ground-level ozone. Also, when trees cast shadows on buildings, this can reduce the need for electrical air conditioning. Subsequently, it minimises the greenhouse gases they cause.<\/span>17<\/sup><\/a><\/span><\/span><\/p>\nPresident Jair Bolsonaro and the Amazon<\/h2>\n
Deforestation in Brazil affects the air we breathe<\/h2>\n
How does Brazilian deforestation affect CO2 levels?<\/h3>\n
The Brazilian Amazon and its environmental impact<\/h3>\n
Trees improve air quality<\/h3>\n
Deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon and air quality<\/h2>\n