While the thought of a mass scale disaster spurring from the human actions is shocking, this also represents a pernicious cycle of destruction among policy makers, farmers, and consumerism.
Various laws actually protect the Amazon rainforests, making it illegal to deforest without permits, and at least 80% of their private property must remain untouched.
However, many of these regulations and permits cost exorbitant amounts of money that most of these farmers simply don’t have a means to spend.
Put in a bind, and with President Bolsanaro’s support and encouragement, these slash and burn farmers would rather clear the forests to secure more land for the survival of livelihood. They were the first to blame, yet the situation is too complex to only hold farmers accountable for desperate actions in the midst of economic struggles.
What can we do?
One of the few measures we can all take to aid the situation include not consuming beef, particularly raised in Brazil, the world’s largest exporter of beef.
Or, at the very least, research the origins and eat only those raised by local farmers.
This boycott would slow down the need for cattle as well as the number of required livestock to meet demand, but would prove to be detrimental to the farmers’ economic prospects.
Real long-term prevention?
The problem needs to be resolved at the source – the agricultural strategies need to be re-evaluated in a way that benefits everyone without necessary destruction to the forests.
Farming methods like alley cropping, which helps main soil nourishment without creating the need to always carve out new land. Institutions, such as the Inga Foundation, have missions to educate and support new ways of farming.
Crop rotation is another method that has been in existence for centuries that can also be implemented with the help of companies such as Regeneration International and the Rodale Institute.
In conclusion..
As the core of so many other issues surrounding climate change, a key factor in preventability is education. Ranchers and landowners learning new methods of sustainable farming, consumers researching the origins of their food, and sordid policies of the upper levels executives revealed to all of us.
