Amazon Rainforest: 8% of the area wiped out in 18 years due to increased deforestation

A study by the Amazon Geo-Referenced Socio-Environmental Information (RAISG) network recently revealed that deforestation rates have increased exponentially in the Amazon forest as it has wiped out 8 per cent of the forest area in a matter of 18 years. As per the study, an area bigger than Spain has been destroyed in the Amazon forest due to deforestation. As per an update on the Amazon atlas, which has been produced by the same organization, 513,016 square kilometers of the rainforest have been lost. 

RAISG releases a statement 

In a statement, RAISG said, “The Amazon is far more threatened than it was eight years ago”. As per the study, in the year 2018 alone, 31,269 square kilometers of forest were destroyed across the Amazon region. This was considered the worst since the year 2003. The study suggests that the destruction takes place due to logging, farming, ranching, mining and infrastructure projects. The forest which stretches across eight South American countries—Brazil, Colombia, Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador, Venezuela, Suriname and Guyana and also the territory of French Guiana is considered to play a major role in climate change. 

Read: 'Beyond Belief': Brazil's Amazon Deforestation Hits 12-year High Under President Bolsonaro

Scientists blame Bolsonaro 

If the deforestation continues at the current pace, the forest is expected to reach a tipping point in the next 15 to 30 years. The scientists blame President Jair Bolsonaro as they say that the rate of deforestation has accelerated since he took to office in the year 2008. Earlier, Brazil had set a goal of slowing the pace of deforestation to 3,900 sq km annually by the year 2020. However, this does not seem to come true now by any chance. 

Read: Brazil Reports Record Breaking Wildfires In Amazon Rainforest

Earlier in August, Brazil’s Environment Ministry announced that the country’s government has released the funds required for fighting deforestation in the Amazon. It also added that the enforcement and implementation operations will continue as normal. Also, the ministry made an announcement of suspending all operations to combat deforestation as funding for those operations had been blocked. The environment ministry plays an important role in combating deforestation. Teams are frequently deployed on risky missions to catch illegal loggers and miners in the world’s largest rainforest. The original announcement came amid rising deforestation and growing criticism of Brazil’s environmental policy.

Read: Brazil's Effort To Protect Amazon Rainforest Yeilding Opposite Effect: Report

Also Read: Brazil President Jair Bolsonaro Calls Reports Of Increasing Amazon Fires A 'lie'

(Image Credits: AP)