May 24, 2010
Rate of Illegal Deforestation Decreases in Brazil
Author: Michael Cordonnier/Soybean & Corn Advisor, Inc.
The Brazilian National Space Institute announced last week that the rate of illegal deforestation in the Amazon Region fell 50% in 2009 compared to 2008. In 2009, 7,400 square kilometers (1,827,000 acres) were deforested compared to 12,900 square kilometers in 2008 (3,186,000 acres). In the seven municipalities where the governmental efforts to control deforestation were the most intense, deforestation rates fell 70%.
According to the Minister of Science and Technology, Sergio Rezende, these types of reductions were unthinkable just a few years ago. He attributes the success in combating illegal deforestation to better methods of monitoring the huge Amazon Region and stricter enforcement of existing environmental laws.
That improved monitoring is based on satellite technology. In 2009, the Brazilian government, in conjunction with state and local agencies, started a program of monitoring cattle ranching operation in the eastern and southern Amazon Region. The boundaries of individual ranches were entered into a data base that also contained satellite photos of the same region. Every six months a new satellite photo is analyzed to see of the landowner cleared vegetation illegally. If any land had been cleared illegally, the property owner will pay a fine and more importantly, he will not be allowed to sell any agricultural products from his operations - cattle, grains, lumber, etc.
These environmental laws have been on the books for many years, but there was never an acceptable way of monitoring the region until improved satellite technology and GPS provided the method. All ranching and farming operations in the eastern and southern Amazon Region are going to be brought into the system over the next few years. Once that process is completed, deforestation rates are expected to fall even further.
Not only does the reduction in deforestation benefit the Brazilian environment it also benefits the entire world by reducing greenhouse gas emissions from Brazil. It is estimated that approximately 75% of the greenhouse gas emissions from Brazil are the result of illegal deforestation. Combining a reduction in deforestation and a very ambitious biofuel program, the Brazilian government is confident they can reach their goal of reducing greenhouse emissions.
Once the system is up and running for the Amazon Region, plans are to extend it to the cerrado region of central Brazil and the caatinga region of northeastern Brazil.