Amazon deforestation accelerating towards unrecoverable 'tipping point'

[Judi Lynn]

Data confirms fears that Jair Bolsonaro’s policy encourages illegal logging in Brazil

Jonathan Watts in Altamira

@jonathanwatts
Thu 25 Jul 2019 12.40 EDT



Deforestation of the Brazilian Amazon has surged above three football fields a minute, according to the latest government data, pushing the world’s biggest rainforest closer to a tipping point beyond which it cannot recover.

The sharp rise – following year-on-year increases in May and June – confirms fears that president Jair Bolsonaro has given a green light to illegal land invasion, logging and burning.

Clearance so far in July has hit 1,345 sq km, a third higher than the previous monthly record under the current monitoring system by the Deter B satellite system, which started in 2015.

With five days remaining, this is on course to be the first month for several years in which Brazil loses an area of forest bigger than Greater London.

More:
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/jul/25/amazonian-rainforest-near-unrecoverable-tipping-point

Editorials and other articles:
https://www.democraticunderground.com/1016236250

[WhiteTara]

2. I wrote a column on this

eureka.news/free-parking-77/

As we focus on the political follies of men, there is an existential crisis is that continues unabated and ignored. We are in the last stages of killing life on our planet, Earth. A recent UN report states that humans have killed 83 percent of all wildlife on this planet. (Chickens are the most plentiful bird on the planet today) and 50 percent of all natural plant life is gone. The web of life is stressed and frayed.

This report predicts dire consequences for you and me and every sentient being on this planet. Humans are committing planetary suicide by degrees through petty political fighting and by ignoring the crisis because of our competitive, consumer-driven lifestyle.

In 1972, MIT programmed a computer model of our then current American lifestyle that has spread around the globe; it predicted the total collapse of planetary civilization by 2040. The model says we are on track; but, physical evidence points to a more rapid decline.

The climate crisis rages worldwide with ever hotter, longer droughts and fires, floods surpassing the 100 year mark time and time again; the world’s population continues to burgeon having doubled since 1970 to our current 7.7 billion people.

rest of article at link: eureka.news/free-parking-77/

[Judi Lynn]

3. So hard accepting these numbers, so unnecessary for it to have happened, waking up NOW

may be the only way to keep things from getting nightmarish immediately.

Your article is heart felt, and accurate, so well worth writing, and reading.

Thank you, White Tara.

[WhiteTara]

4. I think we'll diddle away the last precious moments

and wonder what happened when it's way too late.

We can only love those around us and be as kind as possible.