Government delivers historic ruling to reclaim illegally seized land: 'Finally some good news'
Forests are one of the planet's most powerful tools for fighting the changing climate. They absorb carbon dioxide, regulate temperatures, and support biodiversity. Scientists and policymakers worldwide are strategizing about how to protect these climate guardians.
In Brazil, a federal judge has ordered the government to reclaim private land belonging to owners responsible for illegal deforestation or for starting wildfires.
The Amazon has been increasingly prone to droughts in recent years, making those wildfires even more dangerous.
Although the new policy can still be appealed, it also has provisions to block the practice of regularization, stopping those from clearing forests to claim land. Cattle ranching contributes most to deforestation for agricultural purposes.
Paulo Busse, a lawyer with the group Climate Observatory, told AP, "The decision bolsters the Brazilian government's efforts to fight illegal deforestation and intentional wildfires."
As the temperature of the Earth warms, wildfire risks become more prominent. Legislation like this will help to preserve the forests that do so much to help regulate and protect the planet.
Wildfires destroy the ecosystems that exist within the forest, but they also have wide-reaching consequences. One of these is reduced air quality, especially for those who live in the countries surrounding the Amazon. Children, pregnant people, the elderly, and those with respiratory conditions are particularly vulnerable to this smoke-filled air.
If the Amazon Rainforest continues to be depleted, it will also lead to a huge loss of biodiversity.
With an estimated 10% of the globe's biodiversity, the Amazon is a treasure trove of plant and animal species. Many of them are at risk from deforestation issues.
The Brazilian government and other organizations have implemented a variety of initiatives over the past few years to slow deforestation.
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A study in Nature Ecology & Evolution assessed different strategies for protecting the forests. The study found that implementing Protected Areas did help to reduce deforestation, but more efforts are necessary to protect Indigenous people in the rainforest.
The Supreme Court's new ruling is another step in the right direction.
A Reddit user reacted to the new Brazilian regulation, saying, "Finally some good news."
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