The Peruvian state is failing to protect its vast Amazonian rainforest and instead has awarded concessions of large parts of the jungle for natural resource extraction, a new report by an environmental non-profit organization shows.
From 2004 to 2010, which included the administrations of presidents Alejandro Toledo (2001-2006) and Alan Garcia (2006-2011), the area of Peru’s rainforest that is under concession has skyrocketed.
A study by the Amazonian Network of Socio-Environmental Information (Raisg) says that 75 percent of the Peruvian Amazon was under concession in 2010, compared to 15 percent in 2004, daily El Comercio reported. The rainforest is being exploited for mining, logging and oil and gas production.
“The Peruvian state, rather than protect the Amazon, promotes extractive activities,” said Richard Smith, the executive director of Peru’s Instituto del Bien Comun (Institute for Common Good), which is a member of Raisg.
Smith said that from 2000 to 2010, Peru has lost more than 1.5 million hectares of rainforest, considered one of the most biologically-diverse places on earth. Deforestation of the Amazon is seen as playing a major role in global climate change.
“It is clear the concerning and accelerated growth in the deforestation, which makes it indispensible to curb its uncontrollable advance,” Smith said.
Perhaps the Amazon should secede from other nations. A glorious idea, a perfect cause for wealthy philanthropist to gift their monies to the new country.
As ANY Geologist or Geophysicist can tell you, “climate Change” is a NATURAL phenomenon, ocurring in long, medium and short cycles.
“Climate Change” has more to do with the Earth’s varying orbits around the sun, and the movement of the Earth’s poles, than ANY CONTRIBUTION of ‘Mankind’. It has occurred for MILLIONS of years BEFORE “mankind” and will continue for MILLIONS OF YEARS AFTER “mankind” has left this planet.
One large Forest Fire or Volcanic eruption affects the earth’s climate MORE than ALL of ‘mankind’ can…..even gases generated by animals’ digestive processes contributes MORE than ‘mankind’.
So those on the “man-made global climate change” bandwagon……are usually just in it for the money, or they think of it as a Religion….thus NO reality, NO common-sense, NO SCIENTIFIC (geological) PROVEN FACTS…will dissuade them.
Now if they had NOT mentioned “global climate change”….I would tend to agree that it might be a good idea to protect the Amazon forests, as without them, Peru’s water balance will change….as will many other NATURAL eco-systems…..and we won’t know what we HAD, until it is long gone.