Deforestation

Brazil's Deforestation Problem

Brazil to plug an important gap in the Amazon deforestation story, and prevent a reversal
of the decline in deforestation rates. There are at least eight different processes underway
in the Brazilian Amazon region that are designed to slow deforestation. However, these processes
use different metrics of success, they operate with different spatial scales and over different
time periods, and they are severely deficient in positive incentives for farmers who are doing their part to slow deforestation.

The Forest

The forest also influences the water cycle on a regional and perhaps even global scale.
As moisture comes off the Atlantic Ocean it falls on the forest as rain. This water gets
sucked up by deep roots, then moves through plants and across the surface of leaves before returning
to the atmosphere. Winds blowing over the uneven forest canopy create turbulence, which allows the atmosphere
to absorb more moisture. All this water then moves like a giant flowing river in the sky, falling as rain and then evaporating
again and again until it reaches the Andes. Ultimately, the forest produces at least half of its own rain..

Deferestation 101

The forest also influences the water cycle on a regional and perhaps even global scale.
As moisture comes off the Atlantic Ocean it falls on the forest as rain. This water gets
sucked up by deep roots, then moves through plants and across the surface of leaves before returning
to the atmosphere. Winds blowing over the uneven forest canopy create turbulence, which allows the atmosphere
to absorb more moisture. All this water then moves like a giant flowing river in the sky, falling as rain and then evaporating
again and again until it reaches the Andes. Ultimately, the forest produces at least half of its own rain..