Brazil sets plan to cut deforestation by 70 percent over 10 years

[depakid]

BRASILIA, Dec. 1, 2008 (AFP) -- The Brazilian government on Monday announced a plan under which it would cut deforestation of the Amazon by 70 percent over the next decade.

It is the first time Brazil, home to the largest area of tropical woodland on the planet, has set a target for reducing the damage wreaked by illegal loggers and ranchers.

Environment Minister Carlos Minc unveiled the initiative in the presence of President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and said it would be formally presented at a U.N. climate change conference underway this week in Poland.

"Just in terms of avoided deforestation in the Amazon, the plan foresees a reduction of 4.8 billion tons of carbon dioxide that won't be emitted up to 2018 -- which is more than the reduction efforts fixed by all the rich countries."

More: http://www.grist.org/news/2008/12/01/deforestation/

[joshcryer]

1. Anyone have a link to the plan? Sounds ambitious, stopping people from cattle ranching.

Most deforestation isn't for logging as per the myth, but rather to make cattle ranches to sell Europeans grass fed Brazilian beef. It's a highly lucrative business so Brazilians are quick to slash and burn on the hope that they'll get paid.

[Submariner]

2. I heard the fast food chains like Burger King/McDonalds

get, or used to get (in the 70s & 80s anyway), the cheap beef from South America. The rainforest soil is thin and only supports one season of forage growth for cattle, then they have to chop down more rainforest each year to support the fast food chain crap.

[joshcryer]

3. Burger King/McDonalds used to sell grass fed beef?

The Europeans are the largest importer of Brazilian beef, for the simple fact that it doesn't have the factory farmed consistancy that American beef has (in fact from what I understand most of the world shuns American beef since we fatten it up on corn feed and such).

[madokie]

5. Here all is required to be certified to be grain fed is for the animal to have grain in its stomach

when they are slain. Needless to say some only get that one meal of grain, corn. Friends are life long butchers and thats where thats coming from in case you wonder.

[The2ndWheel]

4. Another 10 year plan, great

At least it's not 2050.