Deforestation in Brazilian Amazon reached one of its highest levels in 2002.Most deforestation took place in the 'deforestation arc' along the souther parts of the armazon,bet no area was unaffected by this surge in forest clearing and burning.While nobody expected deforestation to stop,this surge took most people by supprise.Reasons for the spike in burning were often site or state-specific,but pent up demand for cleared land ,the slow return of economic growth,social instability and political uncertainity all seemed to have combined to both increase the demand for cleared land and reduce the expected political and economic cost associated with converting forest to agriculture.Agencies at all levels responsible for monitoring and controling forest conservation and redoubling their efforts to do so, with support from international community. This spike in deforestation,with its anfortunate environmental effects, may provide ASB with a window of opportunity for establishing itself more prominently in the research and policymaking communities in the Amazon region.
Publication year
2003
Authors
Vosti S A; Porro R; Tomich T P
Language
English
Keywords
deforestation, land use, slash and burn agriculture, air pollution, forests, poverty
