Ending deforestation in the Amazon is not only possible but necessary and urgent. It is unnecessary to reiterate the benefits of the Amazon ecosystem and its biodiversity on the planet's climatic and environmental balance.
We have been watching the evolution of deforestation in our Amazon, one of the largest natural reserves in the world, unmoved. This is meaningless. Enough! We need to have zero deforestation in the forest.
It seems clear that the inspection strategies adopted so far have not had the desired effect. The mechanisms and ways to effectively stop this deforestation process need to be designed and implemented.
According to MapBiomas, of the total area of the Amazon of approximately 850 million hectares, 67% are still forests, and natural formations and agriculture occupies almost 30% of the whole area.
For Brazil's development, there is no need to continue the illogical suppression of forests in the Amazon. In areas already deforested, if rationally used for livestock, it would be possible, through the use of technology, to increase up to 20 times the productivity that exists in the region today, without any more trees having to be felled.
Translated by Kiratiana Freelon