Falling soy prices good news for Amazon
07 Dec 2005
The Brazilian government announced late yesterday that the deforestation of the Amazon fell by 30% in the twelve months up to August.
It is the first reduction in the deforestation rates since 2001 and 2000 and the largest since the 1995-96 period, when the rate fell 37% from a high of 29,050 square kilometres.
The CEO of WWF-Brazil, Denise Hamu, said "The challenge is now to further advance with this decrease."
According to WWF-Brazil, a number of factors may explain the decrease. These include a reduction in the price of soy, Brazil's most important agricultural commodity, which may have reduced the incentive to cut down the Amazon.
The price of soy dropped between March 2004 and August 2005 by 36%.
"If agriculture commodities do recover, those who destroy the forest will choose to pay a fine rather than stop cutting down trees", said Mauro Armelin, WWF-Brazil's public policy officer. "What we want to know is what annual percentage decrease does the government want to achieve? If the government has not clear goals, it will be very difficult to assess long term plans and results.
"The government as a whole and not just one ministry should work to halting deforestation in the Amazon", said Claudio Maretti, head of WWF-Brazil protected areas programme. "More protected areas should be created, a forest based economy supported and illegal land occupancy stopped."
For more information
If you would like further information, please contact:
Helio Hara, Institutional Communications Officer, WWF-Brazil
Phone: +55 61 3364 7408
Email: helio@wwf.org.br
