'..the Amazon, which covers 2.1 million square miles, is often referred to as the "lungs of the planet": The forest produces 20 percent of the oxygen in our planet's atmosphere.'
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The Amazon Is Burning at a Record Rate, And The Devastation Can Be Seen From Space, August 22, 2019
'..scientists worry the deforestation could be reaching a point of no return. If an additional 3 to 8 percent of the Amazon is destroyed, they estimate, the process will begin to feed on itself, and the forest will cease to grow back.''SAO PAULO, Brazil — First, Brazil announced it would take foreign aid away from projects to protect the Amazon rainforest and give it instead to cattle and soybean farmers.
Next, Germany and Norway froze tens of millions of dollars in planned assistance.
Then, Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro told German Chancellor Angela Merkel to mind her own country and pointed out that Norway hunts whales.
Tensions are rising between Brazil and its European donors over the preservation of the world’s largest tropical rainforest — and the spat is threatening to undermine a long-sought free-trade deal between Europe and South America.
The deal between the European Union and the South American trading bloc Mercosur requires Brazil to abide by the Paris climate accord. The climate pact aims to end illegal deforestation in the Amazon by 2030.
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..scientists worry the deforestation could be reaching a point of no return. If an additional 3 to 8 percent of the Amazon is destroyed, they estimate, the process will begin to feed on itself, and the forest will cease to grow back.
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Now local leaders are scrambling to strike a deal with the European countries that bypasses Brasilia.
Governors of the nine Amazon states said they “regretted that the position of the Brazilian government had led to a suspension of resources,” and they hoped to preside directly over the funds.'
- Marina Lopes,
Bolsonaro’s Amazon-sized spat with Germany and Norway threatens Europe-South America trade deal, August 20, 2019
Context'Protecting tropical forests is essential for achieving the climate goals..' - 'Deforestation of the Amazon is about to reach a threshold..''..tree planting is increasingly being recognised as a critical activity to preserve life on Earth.''Governments must now factor [tree restoration] into their national strategies.'(Global Healing 2020 - 2050) - '..all coal-fired power generation .. shuttered by 2030..'Healing the earth through biodynamic farming - SEKEM(Business Roundtable) - '..corporate responsibility .. the best-run companies do more. They put the customer first and invest in their employees and communities .. to build long-term value..'