2021, we have little to celebrate: more than 8,000 plant species and 2,300 animals risk extinction due to the destruction wrought by humans in the Amazon rainforest. A precious ecosystem that is inexorably collapsing: deforestation has reduced it by 18%, while another 17% is in a state of degradation, a report by the SPA - Science Panel for the Amazon shows. Deforestation, which peaked last year, is also putting the forest's ability to absorb carbon dioxide at risk. Soil and trees hold about 200 billion tons of CO2, which is five times more than the annual emissions of the entire planet.
The only way to save one of the most important ecosystems we own and the species it harbors is to reduce deforestation to zero, according to the Spa. Not to 1, to 2 percent. To zero. At the same time, it is essential to invest in restoring degraded areas. There is a very small window to reverse course. The fate of the Amazon is crucial to the solution of global crises.
The problem is that at the moment in Latin America there is no political will to act. And yet, what is perhaps most surprising is that cutting down trees is not good for the economy either. Agriculture in Brazil, for example, is dying because of drought, that depends precisely on the lack of greenery.
In the USA, 23 species, including 22 animals and one plant, have been declared extinct by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service - FWS. According to FWS, human impact has played - and continues to play - a key role in driving the extinction of animal and plant species that reside in already extremely fragile ecosystems. The excessive exploitation of the territory, together with the introduction of invasive species and the enormous environmental impact of climate change, represent in fact an enormous risk for local species and complicate conservation operations for organizations involved in the territory.
When will we realize that we are doing it all wrong? We can start by simply stopping eating the animals. This would stop deforestation and greenhouse gas emissions from intensive livestock production. And will improve our health!
Adopt an eco-friendly lifestyle now without delay! St. Francis reminds us that harmony with nature and all living things is essential to our very lives.
Say Yes to Life, Earth Thanks! 🌿
