Amazon rainforest risks losing 2 million football fields' worth of trees in a decade

The Amazon rainforest is at risk of losing an area equivalent to 2 million football fields over the next decade, according to recent analyses. This alarming projection stems from the withdrawal of major soy traders from a crucial voluntary agreement aimed at curbing deforestation.

The Amazon Soy Moratorium, established in 2006, has been instrumental in reducing forest clearing for soy cultivation. Under this agreement, signatory companies pledged not to purchase soy produced on land deforested after July 2008. For years, this moratorium effectively halted the expansion of soy farming into the Amazon, particularly in key production areas like Mato Grosso.

However, the moratorium is now under threat. A combination of factors, including the removal of tax incentives by local governments in major soy-producing regions and persistent opposition from farmer groups, has led several key companies to withdraw from the agreement. These companies collectively purchase about 90% of the soy produced in the Amazon region.

Researchers from Brazil's National Institute for Space Research (INPE) estimate that if the moratorium is fully dismantled, the economic incentives for planting soy and speculative deforestation could resurface. They project that up to 1.4 million hectares (14,000 sq km) of Amazon rainforest could be lost by 2036. This loss would not only represent a significant blow to conservation efforts but could also trigger further deforestation in other parts of the Amazon as industries like cattle ranching seek new lands.

In response to this potential crisis, a coalition of Brazilian political parties and civil society organizations has filed a lawsuit with the Federal Supreme Court, seeking intervention to uphold the moratorium. The situation highlights the ongoing tension between economic development and environmental protection in the Amazon basin.

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It was a very important private policy tool for curbing Amazon deforestation. If this system disappears, land currently used for grazing will be converted to soy cultivation, and the cattle industry will move to new frontiers, ultimately leading to additional deforestation in other areas of the Amazon.