Following intense international pressure in the 1980s, the government removed the financial incentives and the rate of forest destruction slowed.
The government attributes the increased deforestation to Brazil's renewed economic growth following the success of its anti-inflation plan.
Farmers and loggers now have more money to invest in exploiting the jungle.
80% of the Amazon Jungle still stands, however, if the rate of deforestation continues, there will be roughly around 0% left!
It is undeniable that the Amazon is a gem, just waiting to be explored. But exploration cannot result in accelerated deforestation, which means we have no natural beauty left to explore and safely spread its benefits. However, deforestation has become an issue at this stage, and so the Brazilian government have increased the amount of protected land, in the hope to save more valuable materials.
It has been said that the continued development of the Brazilian infrastructure, named Advance Brazil, which is designed to implement $40 Billion towards Motorways, Railways, Hydroelectricity, and housing.
If the researchers' estimates are correct, barely five percent of the Amazon will survive as pristine forest by 2020. The rest will be destroyed by logging, infrastructure, oil exploration and new towns.
More than two million hectares of the Amazon are currently being cleared every year, and even conservative estimates forecast the clearing rate will continue to rise.
Losing the Amazon rainforest can potentially affect the climate, as it plays an important role in soaking up carbon dioxide.
"Unfortunately, there is little government control in the Amazonian frontier," said William Laurance of the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute.
"Illegal logging and land-clearing are rampant. New roads that cut into the frontier almost always initiate a process of spontaneous colonization, logging, hunting and land speculation that is almost impossible to stop. "The only way to control these processes is to control where the roads are located."
But, what really is shocking, it is reported that the researchers have at least underestimated the amount of deforestation by almost double! Researchers do not include the types of deforestation caused by forest fires. Plus, satellites also do not have the ability to see underneath the canopy, so possibly the major amount of damage is invisible to our “eyes above”.
Forest fires are a prevalent issue, especially in the Amazon. If deforestation continues, the warm climate can dry up the soil, which makes the trees more susceptible to fires. Even though fires do not kill all the trees in its path, it can just make them more vulnerable to future fires. In future, what doesn’t it make it possible that after several fires, it don’t mean they just wont die because of too many in the first place?
At the way things are going, all our rainforests are worthless in less than 20 years, but, only now, are we as humans beginning to fully appreciate the potential it holds and contains. There is way around this; the Brazilian Government must create laws and regulations that prevent unsustainable deforestation of the rainforest to occur. If we cut down what we need, only to an ever that matches what nature has the ability to grow. If we match that, then we wont have a problem with the Amazon being cut down and being reduced to rubble.
To bring this to a close; The Amazon Rainforest is the largest and most resourceful natural encyclopaedia on Earth. It’s diversity and multi-talented abilities are not to be doubted. We shouldn’t deny that we should use this to our advantage and develop new medical breakthroughs and scientific discoveries.
But, using a valuable asset does not mean (Especially in this case!) rinse it for all it’s worth, until it’s gone. When it’s gone – It’s gone! If we do, we are out on a limb, and the impending problems it will undoubtedly cause will be an issue for many years to come.