OCTOBER 1, 2015 Environmental Issues in Latin America HW: FG Environmental Current Event

ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES IN LATIN AMERICA: RAIN FOREST RESOURCES

Equator “Rainforests” around the world cover approximately 5% of the earth’s total land mass. Most are found at or near the Earth’s equator in “tropical” climate regions (biomes).

The Amazon Rainforest in South America is the world’s largest rainforest. Most of it is located in Brazil. Amazon Rainforest

RAIN FOREST DEFORESTATION However, today nearly 78 million acres of rain forest are destroyed worldwide each year-about half the size of Texas. Global Rates of Rain Forest Deforestation in Perspective: 2.47 acres per second: equivalent to two U.S. football fields 214,000 acres per day: an area larger than New York City At the current rate of deforestation, the world’s rain forests will be gone in years!

Rainforests: An Important Global Resource Within your group, discuss and write the reasons why should we care about what is happening to the world’s rain forests? Provide at least 3 reasons

Causes of Deforestation Within your group, discuss and write the possible causes of deforestation.

The world’s rainforests are considered an important global resource for three reasons: Rainforests: An Important Global Resource

1) Its vegetation helps to clean the earth’s atmosphere of excessive Greenhouse gases. * plants absorb carbon dioxide and produce oxygen. Think of the rainforest as an air cleaner Rainforests: An Important Global Resource

2) Helps regulate the earth’s precipitation and temperature. The rain forest acts like a thermostat and water facet. Rainforests: An Important Global Resource

The world’s rainforests shelter several million species of plants and animal. In fact, 50% of all plant and animal species are found in the world’s rainforests. A DIVERSE ECOSYSTEM

3) Shelters several million species of plants-many of the ingredients found in modern medicines are found only in plants from the rainforest. So in this sense, think of the rainforest as the world’s pharmacy. Rainforests: An Important Global Resource

Why is this happening?

Most of the world’s rainforests are located in third-world nations (economically underdeveloped nations).

CAUSES OF DEFORESTATION Why would these people do something that appears to be harmful not just to the planet, but also to themselves in the long-term?

Causes of Deforestation :

1) Land is needed for farming to feed a rapidly growing population. * Remember, most rainforests are found in third-world nations that depend on agricultural production to earn a living.

2) Increased global demand for timber products: Governments sell logging concessions to raise money to pay international debts or to develop their economy/ infrastructure.

3) Increased global demand for meat products:

Beginning in the 1960s, world cattle prices dramatically increased thus turning livestock into a valuable export. Rain forest was converted into cattle grazing land

Timelapse Video of Amazon Deforestation

Since the world’s rain forests are a global resource, do we and the rest of the world have a say in how the people of Brazil and South America use or manage their natural resources (rain forests)?

Finding Solutions- What are we to do? How do we balance “competing interests? The economic needs of developing nations The need to protect a vital global resource

FINDING SOLUTIONS TO SAVING LATIN AMERICA’S RAIN FORESTS 1)DEBT-FOR-NATURE-SWAP Private environmental groups help Latin American countries pay off their foreign debt, and Latin American countries agree to protect certain portions of the rain forest from development. Off-limits to development

FINDING SOLUTIONS TO SAVING LATIN AMERICA’S RAIN FORESTS 2) Develop “ecotourism” Tourism based on the natural beauty of the environment. This will provide an economic alternative to farming and timber exports as a means of income.

Eco-Tourism

OCTOBER 2, 2015 Present and turn in current events Environmental Issues in Latin America Case Studies: Brazil and Haiti

JOURNAL DIRECTIONS: Quietly read the article provided to you. Questions will follow.

1.What responsibility should companies take to ensure that down chain suppliers, particularly those in foreign countries, are not using or supporting practices that are detrimental to the environment? If such practices are used, do companies have a responsibility to make such information available to consumers? Why/ why not? 1.Do you believe the U.S. government has a responsibility to demand that businesses/ companies that do part of their business overseas inform American consumers if the manufacturing of their product was in any way detrimental to the environment? Why/ why not? 1.What can you personally do to help preserve the world’s rainforests? JOURNAL DIRECTIONS: Answer the questions below on the back side of your article.

Impact of Deforestation and Drought in Brazil

Haiti Quick facts: Poorest country in western hemisphere 40% unemployment Ethnic makeup: 95% black (descendants from African slaves) Population: 10 million Former sugar cane colony of France Comprises west third of the island of Hispaniola Located in the Caribbean Sea Prone to earthquakes and hurricanes

Destruction of Haiti