The climate threat|The threat to the Amazon

The Urubu River in the Amazon. Wikimedia commons  

 

The climate threat|The threat to the Amazon 

Logging of the Amazon is reduced by 60 percent  

 

The positive trend continues in the Amazon - harvesting in July decreased by 60 percent compared to July last year, The Guardian reports. The figure is considered particularly important as July is the month when the largest areas are usually burned to prepare the land for agriculture.  

 

The desecration increased dramatically during Jair Bolsonaro's four years in power. When he handed over power to Lula da Silva on January 1, 2023, many feared that it would be difficult for him to reverse the trend despite a stated political will to reach "zero deforestation". 

 

But since he took office, more land thieves have been fined, illegal mines have been driven out of the rainforest and new areas have been protected as nature reserves, according to The Guardian.  

 

Accumulated figures over the first half of 2023 have previously shown a decline of 30 percent, according to AP.  

 

Amazonas/Lula da Silva and Environment Minister Marina Silva. AP Photo/Eraldo Peres, Gustavo Moreno  

 

Amazon countries in summit to save the rainforest  

 

When the eight Amazonian countries meet in Brazil next week, common goals and a common strategy to stop the deforestation of the rainforest are on the agenda, reports Reuters.  

 

The outside world must help, President Lula da Silva told AFP before the meeting. 

 

- We have a responsibility to convince the world that it is cheap to invest if it is about saving the rainforest, he says. 

 

The summit will cover much bigger issues than logging, writes Folha de Sao Paulo, because logging is connected to infrastructure, mining, economy, organized crime and social issues.  

 

Logging in Brazil has declined sharply during Lula da Silva's first six months in power. His goal is to get down to zero by 2030, according to O Globo.