Rainforest Junkies

So many things have been said about the Amazon rainforest and I don't want this to be another argumentative blog; I want to present a feasible future solution. The main issue is whether or not deforestation is sustainable and if the people there can literally afford to stop deforestation. What I mean is that so many people depend on the rainforest as a livelihood and means to support themselves; on the other hand, the world depends on the rainforest to regulate climate and reduce all the CO2 emissions that continue to cause climate change. There are many people who are actively taking a stand against rainforest deforestation. For instance,

What my good friend Harrison has to say is true. The Amazon sequesters and stores huge amounts of carbon, 500 tons of carbon per acre per year. Now I'm not going to argue that we need to save the rainforest and cease all deforestation altogether. That option is not practical, especially since most of the major exports of Brazil come as a result of deforestation of the rainforest. What I suggest however, is that other economic alternatives need to take place that can replace the economic power houses of logging and livestock and corporate and subsistence farming.

Currently there are no markets that are even a viable substitute and Brazil will continue to be the lead exporter of the world in livestock and soy beans, sugar cane and ethanol production. These markets are too huge to topple and with Brazil's economy growing on an average of 7% per year, these markets will continue to grow and along with it, the deforestation of the Amazon to make room for the growth.

So why write this blog and why protest? Whats the point? First of all, I don't think its worth protesting, but I believe in the power of the economy to do the protesting for me. I do believe that protests definitely contribute to the awareness of Amazon deforestation, but all they do is inform and hardly ever bring about real change.

Let's go back to my original question, how can the balance be tipped in favor of rainforest conservation?

There are two ways that I think that the rainforest can be conserved and deforestation can significantly diminish. People need alternatives and one of those is agroforestry. Agroforestry is the practice of planting crops right alongside the trees of the rainforest. This process includes some deforestation, true, but it is not altogether destructive and leaves the grower with more options. What I mean by more options is that because he has a variety of crops, such as fruit from fruit trees or perennials which he planted, he is able to access multiple markets and won't suffer from a year with a low market. While the most I've read of conventional agriculture earning per hectare with palm oil was USD $3,000, a system of agroforestry is able to earn around $6,800 per hectare. This sum is more than double the original returns.
Why is something like this more valuable? Some of the reasons include the system of multiple plants which contribute to a biologically diverse system which reduces the need to rotate crops and improves soil conservation. This system has its flaws, for instance, the markets may not be completely developed for Amazon fruits, but with the rise of globalization, this can become a possibility. On the other hand, a grower plants crops that already have a market amongst trees that have a more rare market to create a balanced income from the harvest. Another limitation is that this system requires a specialized technician who knows what they're doing. All in all, there is a growing market for environmentally friendly produce (just look at organic) and agroforestry is in a position to establish a stronger market.

Point numero two:

The Kyoto protocol established a set amount of carbon that countries are allowed to produce. The factories that produce CO2 gases may produce more than their allotted amount or less. This in turn has created a carbon market or Emissions trading where factories sell their right to produce carbon for a certain amount. Right now the value to produce 1 ton of carbon is $20. Now let's connect this to rainforest. If a hectare of rainforest can sequester 500 tons of carbon in a year, the value can be $10,000. Just do the math. This idea of the forest acting as carbon storage could be monumental, but as of now, it has not been implemented yet. One source that I read stated that it has the potential to create over 10 million jobs which may include areas of security, maintenance, and market. The impact of this would be incredible and would drastically change the value of any forest from its deforested value to its conserved, carbon storage value. There are many limitations, such as rights of ownership of the forest and accessibility once it has been purchased, but these can be sorted out in time.

All in all, do I think the Amazon rainforest should be deforested? Yes, for now. Do I think there are better alternatives? Absolutely! The forest can provide us with so many other benefits than just a monetary gain. There are scientific advances that can be made through the study of the medicinal properties of the plants. There are new species to discover and 3 new species are being discovered daily. There is value in conserving the rainforest and alternative solutions must be sought, but for now, I understand that the Amazon must be deforested in order to provide an income to many people who wouldn't otherwise have a means to provide for their families.