40% Amazon rainforest unprotected: why is this significant for climate change?

40% Amazon rainforest unprotected: why is this significant for climate change?

Sub: Env

Sec: Climate change

Context:

• The Amazon rainforest is crucial in the battle against global warming.

Details:

• Nearly 40% of the most critical areas for climate change mitigation in the Amazon lack special government protection. These areas are not designated as nature reserves or indigenous territories.
  • The unprotected regions are mainly located in the far southwest of the Amazon in Peru or far northeast in Brazil, French Guiana, and Suriname.
• They contain the largest, densest trees and most continuous canopy cover.
• These areas store the most carbon, which could be released as greenhouse gases if the forest is destroyed.
• Protection Status:
  • 61% of peak carbon areas in the Amazon are protected.
  • In Brazil, Suriname, and French Guiana, only 51% of peak carbon areas are protected.
  • Peru protects a higher proportion, but some unprotected areas are earmarked for logging.
• Amazon’s Carbon Storage:
  • The Amazon contains 71.5 billion tonnes of carbon.
  • This is roughly double the global carbon dioxide emissions for 2022.
  • The Amazon barely absorbed more carbon than it released in the decade leading up to 2022.
• Importance for Global Climate:
  • The Amazon’s role as a carbon sink is crucial for the planet’s health.
  • If it becomes an emission source instead of a carbon sink, the impact could be catastrophic.