The Atlantic Forest, a biome located on the coast and part of the interior of Brazil, one of the most devastated in the country, suffered a 66% increase in deforestation actions last year, reported the non-governmental organization SOS Mata Atlântica.
The Atlantic Forest lost around 21,600 hectares between November 2020 and October 2021the equivalent of more than 20,000 soccer fields, according to the non-governmental organization (NGO) that has been working for decades in defense of the preservation of this Brazilian forest.
The NGO, based on satellite images provided by the National Institute for Space Research (INPE), warns that this biome, which extends for more than 100,000 square kilometers along the Atlantic coast of Brazil, is at “high risk”. ”.
The deforested area increased by 66% compared to the previous 12 months and this deforestation released 10.3 million tons of CO2 into the atmosphere, according to SOS Mata Atlântica.
“We did not expect such a strong progression, we thought that the Atlantic Forest was a little more preserved from the explosion of deforestation [do que outros biomas do Brasil] due to the greater number of controls”, explained Luis Guedes Pinto, head of SOS Mata Atlântica.
This shows that the biome also suffers from the dismantling of environmental protection policy and legislation,” added Guedes Pinto.
Currently, the Atlantic Forest preserves only 12% of its original area, due to the urbanization of the Brazilian coast, real estate speculation around large cities and the spread of agriculture.
Some states like Rio de Janeiro or São Paulo are leading reforestation initiatives, but 15 of the 17 states that are home to this biome saw an increase in deforestation in the past year.
“If the destruction continues, water, food and electricity will begin to run out,” Pinto warned, referring to the disappearance of several ecosystems.
Also, “It is a disaster not only for Brazil, but for the whole world”because according to several studies “the Atlantic Forest is one of the biomes that must be restored with the greatest urgency, if we want to reach the goal of limiting global warming to 1.5ºC, as prescribed by the Paris Climate Agreements.
Source: Observadora
