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ONGOING UPDATE BRAZIL... while the rest of the world can only watch in horror As a country of rich bio-diversity on which the entire planet largely depends for environmental stability, Brazil continues to display an astonishing disregard for both its natural habitat and animals. At the turn of the
millennium, Brazilian congress was voting on a proposal to reduce the
Amazon forest to 50% of its current size in just a few years, (bearing
in mind that tens of thousands of square miles had previously been destroyed).
By the mid 2000s the forest had been reduced even
faster these horrific proposals indicated.
Areas the size of Belgium in the Brazilian rainforest are being cleared
annually by illegal loggers. The logged land is then used for
illegal crop plantations and cattle ranching.
The Brazilians are making huge profits from this illegal activity by tapping
into the public demand for GM free foods
such as non-GM soy beans. Once the soy crops
have been harvested, the land becomes useless and nothing is able to grow
in these areas again. The
wood from the trees cut down is sold as wood chips and besides soy crops,
the land is used for livestock; cheap beef and leather, much of which
ends up as hamburgers in fast food restaurants
and sofas in discount furniture stores. See also: Top of the list in appalling animal trade Apart from being responsible for decimating the worlds largest rain forests, Brazil is also top of the list when it comes to an appalling trade in animal smuggling. The National Network Against trade in Wild Animals (Renctas) recently launched a global alert about the illegal trade, which is thought to be responsible for a large proportion of the 100 species that disappear from the planet each day. Renctas says that in Brazil alone, 12 million animals a year are removed from their natural habitat for sale to unscrupulous collectors at home and abroad. Many of the species are extremely rare such as the Single Blue Lear Macaw with only 150 remaining in the wild. Profits are huge for the ruthless traders who are already responsible for death threats sent to Renctas president Dener Giovanini. Giovanini is slowly making progress whilst attempting to wake up the Brazilian Government to the situation. He says that his campaign hopes to encourage Brazilian police officers and border controls to take tougher action against illegal trading. With video and poster campaigns Renctas also hopes to educate the Brazilian public in general about their ignorant and careless treatment towards the animal kingdom. Looking-Glass says: Will the wars of the future be "enviro-wars"? Natural environments,
forests oceans and wetlands should not be owned by anyone, and a country
should not have the sovereign right to destroy any of this planet's
arteries of life, which might run through its territories. If countries
like Brazil, Indonesia and Iraq (see also oceans, wetlands on front
page) continue to display such irresponsibility and ignorance towards
the earths natural resources (which generate earth's very stability
to survive), it may well be the disputation that finally triggers other
nations to take protective action to stop further environmental destruction
- for the sake of planetary survival - and particularly towards countries
where government corruption thrives.
This article last updated or added to in: March 2006
For more "Special Report" articles please go to the LGVN front page and choose from there. See also: See also: For discussion on these issues see GGL's at VeggieGlobal.com
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