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Climate Change

The Amazon is the world’s most important land ecosystem for mitigating climate change.

The trees in the Amazon sequester or store 25% of the of all total carbon dioxide (CO2) on Earth, making the Amazon one of the most
important land ecosystems for mitigating climate change. The trees store and pull in toxic levels of carbon out of the environment, holding the carbon in their leaves, trunks, branches and roots.

Carbon is a part of every living being and is essential for life. It is estimated that the earth holds around 65,500 billion metric tons of carbon. The human body, itself, is made up of about 18% carbon. Carbon is one of the most important elements on earth with its ability to form bonds with other elements and create a diverse and vast array of compounds. There are over one million described carbon compounds that include carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids.

It is estimated that the earth holds around 65,500 billion metric tons of carbon.

Today the release of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere is creating climate change. The release of greenhouse gases produces a blanket-like effect, trapping the sun’s warmth near the earth’s surface, which is causing the earth to heat up to catastrophic levels. It is a natural process that can warm the planet, but human activities are contributing to unprecedented levels of greenhouse gasses which is causing extreme heat, dangerous storms, fires, drought and flooding, and the unraveling of many of the earth’s critical ecosystems.

Scientists estimate that humans release about nine billion tons of carbon each year through the burning fossil fuels and trees, and through general destruction of ecosystems. Approximately 247 gigatons (billion tons) of carbon is held in tropical forests, with 49 percent stored in central and South America. There are 193 gigatons stored globally above ground in tree trunks, branches, and leaves, and 54 gigatons stored below ground in the roots. The burning of trees is responsible for 30% of all global emissions. We are destroying the trees that are protecting us.

The burning of trees is responsible for 30% of all global emissions. We are destroying the trees that are protecting us.

Trees have recently emerged as one of our most important climate change weapons. Scientific Studies have estimated that forests and other natural ecosystems could provide more than one-third of the total CO2 reductions required to keep global warming below 2 °C through 2030.

From the Blog: Climate Change

The Path of an Amazon Defender

The Path of an Amazon Defender

The Amazon rainforest, the world’s largest center of biodiversity, faces tremendous adversity. With only about 80% of its cover remaining, scientists warn that it is on the tipping point of being converted from rainforest to savannah.

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The Leticia Pact, Explained

The Leticia Pact, Explained

The Leticia Pact, Explainedby Charlie Espinosa October 7, 2019 On September 6, 2019, representatives from seven Amazon countries signed a pact intended to protect the rainforest by expanding regional cooperation. Indigenous leaders also attended the gathering, which...

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