27/08/2005 – The decrease
in deforestation in the Amazon in 2005, announced
today by the Brazilian government, is good
news but the reasons behind it must be further
analyzed.
According to WWF, while the government must
be given credit for creating conservation
areas and improving controls in the Amazon,
significantly declining profits and investments
in the agricultural sector are probably the
main cause of the reduced deforestation. Conversion
of forest to agriculture is the main cause
of deforestation in Brazil.
Between August 2004 and July 2005, slightly
more than 9,000 square kilometres of Amazon
forest disappeared — compared to 18,700 sq
km from August 2003 to July 2004 — a 50 per
cent decrease. However, these numbers were
generated under a system known as DETER, which
gives estimates instead of a precise rate.
The lower figure announced today is less
a result of government actions than a consequence
of the current bad economic situation of the
country.
"In the past, there have been several
examples of decreasing deforestation rates
immediately followed by increases in the years
after," said Denise Hamú, CEO
of WWF-Brazil.
"We must now ensure that responsible
forest management practices become the rule,
as we know they can contribute to less deforestation
on a more permanent basis."
The Brazilian press had already announced
a drop in the production of grains and beans,
such as soy. The Brazilian Minister of Agriculture,
Roberto Rodrigues, had also declared that
areas planted with grains and beans were expected
to shrink between 2 and 3 per cent. The international
price of soy beans, which dropped by 36 per
cent between March 2004 and August 2005, and
the devaluation of the US dollar against the
Brazilian currency have also reduced profits.
Soy grains are the most important agricultural
commodity in Brazil.
According to WWF, government measures to
control and prevent deforestation in the Amazon,
including the arrest of officials involved
in illegal logging, and the creation of conservation
areas in Terra do Meio and in the south of
the Amazon State played an important, albeit
limited role, in the reduction of the deforestation
rate.
WWF believes the government should put more
effort in implementing better forest management
and land-use planning to prevent the conversion
of areas of high conservation value into soy
plantations.
"While the government is prepared to
renegotiate farmers' debts at a cost of roughly
US$700 million, it is appalling that forest
companies have difficulty getting access to
government credit for the implementation of
sustainable forest management," said
Mauro Armelin, Forest Policy Officer at WWF-Brazil.
