The Amazon Rainforest Is Being Destroyed at the Fastest Rate Ever

Reports have shown that the Amazon Rainforest is being destroyed at a very speedy rate, and people might not be able to do anything to save it. It has been approximated that the rainforest suffers from deforestation and clearing for up to roughly 8,000 square kilometers every year. It is more worrying since there are very limited legislations and regulations that go after its protection and conservation.

The Amazon Rainforest is one of the largest and most recognized rainforests in the world. A place that encompasses a total of nine different nations, its total land area covers an approximate seven million square kilometers.

According to a report from Washington Post, most of this clearing and deforestation could be attributed to illegal logging which is on-going within the area. As more and more trees are cut down, more and more CO2 are expected to be released into the atmosphere, turning the world into a place warmer than it used to be.

Furthermore, it has been reported that this new record is surprising as there has been a steady decline in deforestation since 2012. However, in 2014, the rates of deforestation have been rising again, but at a much faster rate. So fast that reports from NASA have indicated that deforestation of the Amazon can be seen from space. There was also an incident when NASA has released a photo of the Amazon burning as seen from the International Space Station.  

According to a report by Rhett Butler from Mongabay, illegal logging is not the only activity that contributes to this rapid deforestation. Their reports have shown that taking care of wild stock such as cattle has been a major contributor as well. Another major contributor is allowing locals to clear areas of the Amazon for living space. This used to be allowed in the earlier times, but as the population grows, it can do more harm to the forest than good.