Deep in South America lies the Amazon rainforest, which is the largest tropical rainforest on earth and is located across nine countries: Brazil, Peru, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname, and French Guiana. It spans an impressive 6.7 million square kilometers — over twice the size of India. The Amazon rainforest plays a crucial role in regulating the global climate and maintaining biodiversity, as it houses countless unique plant and animal species, many of which are found nowhere else on the planet.
The Amazon rainforest is often referred to as “the lungs of the earth.” This nickname reflects its vital role in combating climate change by absorbing carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen. The rainforest stores an astonishing 150 to 200 billion tons of CO2, serving as a vital carbon sink. Through photosynthesis, the vast number of trees and vegetation in the Amazon absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere to generate energy, storing it in their roots, branches, leaves and trunks. This process not only removes carbon dioxide from the air but also helps to stabilize the earth’s climate by decreasing the greenhouse effect.
But the Amazon isn't alone; the Congo Basin, the world's second-largest rainforest, absorbs 1.5 billion tons of CO2 annually. Together, these tropical rainforests are crucial for our planet’s health. Protecting the world’s tropical rainforests is vital for the survival of all living things on earth.
The Amazon Rainforest faces several critical threats, largely at the hands of humanity, including deforestation, agriculture, mining, cattle ranching, fires, and human-caused climate change.
Let’s break down each threat and its impact on the rainforest, by the numbers.
20% of the Amazon Rainforest Has Been Wiped Out Due to Deforestation
Over the last 50 years, it’s been estimated that around 20% of the Amazon Rainforest has disappeared due to deforestation, largely as a result of commercial agriculture, logging, mining, and cattle ranching.
800 Million Trees in the Amazon Rainforest Have Been Lost to Cattle Ranching
Cattle ranching is the number one cause of deforestation. Over 800 million trees have been removed from the Amazon rainforest in just six years, primarily driven by the need to clear land for raising cattle to support global beef exports. Deforestation caused by cattle ranching releases a staggering 340 million tons of carbon dioxide into the air annually, which equates to 3.4% of current global emissions.
The Amazon Rainforest is Experiencing More Fires
Forest fires are another major concern; in 2024 alone, over 62,000 square kilometers (an area bigger than Costa Rica) of the Amazon rainforest was burned. These fires release massive amounts of stored carbon dioxide back into the atmosphere, destroying the rainforest’s ecosystems, while the smoke impacts air quality and human health.
Most fires in the Amazon are caused by humans, particularly as the rainforest’s high humidity and rainfall make natural fires rare. They are often deliberately set to clear land for beef production, as well as other agricultural activities. This cycle of destruction, exacerbated by global warming and extreme weather events such as climate change-linked droughts, risks transforming the rainforest’s wet and humid climate into a hot and dry savannah-like climate that is more prone to burning.
Illegal Mining is Harming the Amazon's Forests, Rivers, and Biodiversity
Unsurprisingly, illegal mining significantly contributes to deforestation and pollution in the rainforest, endangering the health of wildlife and Indigenous communities. Mines clear large areas of the forest to extract valuable minerals like copper, tin, nickel, aluminum, and gold.
This process also contaminates the rivers with toxic chemicals, such as mercury, threatening life that depends on these water sources. This contamination can be magnified up the food chain and affect fish, animals, and humans, which leads to further environmental degradation and loss of biodiversity.
What Will it Mean if We Lose the Amazon Rainforest?
Collectively, all these threats to the Amazon rainforest impact the rainforest’s ability to absorb carbon dioxide. In recent years, the rainforest is releasing more carbon dioxide than it absorbs, with an estimated 1 billion tons of CO2 being released annually.
Put simply, we’re losing our strongest shield against climate change. Its destruction could release billions of tons of carbon dioxide, increase extreme weather events like droughts and floods, threaten global food supplies, and lead to significant biodiversity loss.
Over 40 million people, including 2.2 million Indigenous individuals, call the Amazon home and rely on the rainforest's resources for their livelihoods. The loss of the Amazon would displace millions, leading many to seek refuge in unfamiliar cities in search of work and housing.
If immediate action is not taken, scientists estimate that by 2050, half of the rainforest could hit a “tipping point.” In essence, a tipping point happens when a series of small changes trigger a big shift or transformation within a system.
For the Amazon rainforest, this tipping point refers to a critical threshold where the ecosystem begins to deteriorate, resulting in a mass loss of trees and a transformation of the rainforest from a tropical climate to a dry savannah condition. If this tipping point is reached, it could trigger a catastrophic forest collapse, hindering its ability to recover from damage driven by climate change, droughts, fires and deforestation.
What is Being Done to Protect the Amazon?
Even in the face of ongoing threats, restoring the world’s largest rainforest is achievable with collective support. Numerous organizations and individuals are committed to safeguarding the rainforest through sustainable methods such as conservation initiatives and educational efforts.
Brazil's Deforestation Rates in the Amazon Reach Nine-Year Low
Driven by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva's leadership, deforestation rates in Brazil, which houses nearly 60% of the Amazon rainforest, have plummeted by over 30% compared to 2023, reaching a nine-year low.
Since taking office in 2023, President Lula has committed to halting deforestation by 2030. His administration has implemented environmental regulations, enhanced surveillance against illegal activities in the forest, and reinstated the Amazon Fund, an initiative aimed at protecting the rainforest.
Lula’s success in reducing deforestation is not surprising, as he achieved a 75% decrease during his prior presidency from 2003 to 2011. Now, during his third term, rates are dropping once more.
In addition, Indigenous communities are at the forefront of providing innovative solutions and traditional knowledge, also known as Indigenous science, to protect the rainforest. International policies from world leaders have also been set up to fight for the Amazon rainforest's future, including pledges to halt deforestation and reverse land degradation by 2030, which was signed by over 100 world leaders at the COP26 summit.
What Can You Do?
Join Global Citizen’s Protect the Amazon campaign to advocate for the protection of this irreplaceable ecosystem. The campaign is calling on governments, corporations, and individuals to secure $1 billion to protect and restore the rainforest by supporting Indigenous and local-led efforts to safeguard these vital ecosystems. It also serves as a call for an end to deforestation in the Amazon rainforest by 2030. Together, we can make a meaningful impact and ensure a sustainable future for the lungs of the planet.