Exploiting Tropical Rainforests

How big is the Amazon?

That is a scale map of the Amazon basin (not just Brazilian Amazon by the way) under a map of Europe!!!

Prevents soil erosion in tropical locations Habitat containing over 30 million species of plants and animals!

The oldest and most complex ecosystem on Earth

Regulates global climate

Is the rainforest important?

Pharmacy for drugs and cures of illness

A huge Carbon Store

Home for indigenous people

Atmospheric cleanser/recycler of CO2 Food and resources coffee, bananas, rubber, timber

Source of wealth

Now with a little difference!

Imagine you are the President of Brazil Dilma Rousseff. The overwhelming majority of the Amazon rainforest is in your country. Your country is an LEDC but one that is making significant economic progress; a Newly Industrialised Country (NIC), but your country has considerable debts. The Gross Domestic Product per Capita is $11,845 in Brazil (average income). The population of Brazil is rising (stage 3 DTM) How would you rank these factors in order of importance?

How is the Amazon Rainforest exploited?

Cattle ranching Logging Large Scale Agriculture Small Scale Agriculture Mining Infrastructure Dams Urbanisation

DEBATE STATEMENT: The UN should prevent Brazil from exploiting the Amazon rainforest further

Balancing the debate using De Bono

Information: (White) - considering purely what information is available, what are the facts about deforestation of the Amazon?

Emotions (Red) - instinctive gut reaction or statements of emotional feeling (you can support either the UN or Brazil)

Bad points judgment (Black) - logic applied to identifying flaws or issues (in this case a pro Brazil argument)

Good points judgment (Yellow) - logic applied to identifying benefits, seeking harmony (pro UN now!)

Creativity (Green) - statements of provocation and investigation, seeing where a thought goes optimism for the future?

Thinking (Blue) - thinking about thinking = Summarise your argument

What are the causes behind clearing the rainforest of the Amazon?
Causes of deforestation in the Amazon Cattle ranches 65-70% Small-scale, subsistence agriculture 20-25% Large-scale, commercial agriculture 5-10% Logging, legal and illegal 2-3% Fires, mining, urbanization, road construction, dams 1-2%
Selective logging and fires that burn under the forest canopy commonly result in forest degradation, not deforestation. Therefore these factor less in overall deforestation figures. http://www.greenpeace.org.uk/blog/f orests/what-a-carve-up-the-con-inthe-congo-logging-industry

Recently cleared Amazonian rainforest, Brazil and Peru, South America.