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Question
What is deforestation?
Deforestation is when trees are removed or cut down.
Widespread deforestation has taken place in the Amazon rainforest in Brazil.
Key points
- Brazil’s population has increased steadily over time. A measurement of the number of live births in a country. Usually given as a figure per 1,000 people per year. have fallen, but The average age that a person is expected to live. This varies from country to country. has increased.
- WidespreadThe removal of trees. This is sometimes done to make land for farming, roads or settlement. has taken place in the Amazon rainforest. The current government plans to encourage more cattle ranching, mining and logging in the forest.
- Further destruction of the Amazon rainforest is a concern as the rainforests help to control the global climate.
Social changes
Population
Brazil’s population has increased steadily over the last 100 years. Although birth rates have fallen, improved healthcare means Brazilians are living longer and so the population continues to grow. This leads to increased life expectancy and an Where the proportion of older people is increasing within a place or country..
Reducing poverty
One of the best ways to reduce This could mean having little money or few possessions. is to increase education in the population, allowing people to gain qualifications that help them access Employment with regular wages and hours, workers’ rights, and on which income tax is paid.. These are jobs where people pay tax, which the government can use to improve the country’s education and healthcare systems. Education can be measured through The ability to read and write. rates. Brazil’s literacy rates have increased through government support and the use of the internet and Websites and apps that allow people to communicate with their network of friends or contacts..
Question
Why has Brazil used education as a tool to tackle poverty?
Education allows the population to become more skilled and qualified, which in turn allows more people to gain formal sectors jobs that pay taxes. With these taxes, the government can improve educational and healthcare systems.
Economic changes
Brazil is a An acronym of the countries experiencing fast economic growth. The countries are Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. economy. This means that it is recognised as an Countries that are experiencing high economic growth and rapid expansion of trade and investment, such as China and India. with fast rates of An increase in the production of goods and services over a period of time that allows a country to earn more money.. Brazil’s economy first grew when The process of making money and any form of employment that makes money. Types of industry include primary industry such as farming, secondary industry such as manufacturing, and tertiary industry such as hospitality and tourism. and large-scale Using the land to produce food, eg grow crops or rear animals., such as Large-scale farms that are used to raise livestock, eg cattle., began to take place in the Amazon rainforest from the mid to late 20th century. This led to widespread deforestation.
Brazil’s economy has since slowed down. Some larger companies, such as the motorcar company Ford, have cut When a product is made, eg car production is when new cars are assembled. in the country. This has been partly blamed on lower sales within Brazil. The closure of production lines has led to job losses and Money that a country has borrowed and will have to pay back. has grown considerably.
Question
What are some causes of deforestation in Brazil?
Brazil has increased its economic activity in parts of the Amazon rainforest by:
- Cattle ranching: If large areas of forest are cleared, the land can also be used for cattle ranching. These are large farms that rear animals, like cows.
- **Logging:**This is when trees are cut down and used to make things like wood or paper.
- Mining for precious metals and gemstones: Gold, copper, and diamonds, are found beneath the Amazon. Trees have been removed so that they can be mined.
- Constructing roads throughout the Amazon: These open up the forest and allow for more economic activity.
Environmental changes
The current government plans to encourage more cattle ranching, The process of obtaining minerals or other natural materials from within the ground. For example, gold, copper or coal., and The removal of trees to create logs that can be sold. in the Amazon. These activities would enable the country to earn more money. Further When something is ruined, eg rainforests being cut down. of the Amazon rainforest is a concern. The rainforests help to control the global The average weather conditions in a location based on the average weather experienced there over a period of time. by acting as a Something that can store carbon for a period of time. For example, the ocean or rainforests. Carbon sinks lower the concentration of carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas. .
Question
What are the arguments around the use of the Amazon rainforest for economic gain?
Brazil has a growing national debt. Much of the Amazon rainforest can be found in Brazil, so it could be argued that this resource should be used to help reduce their debt.However, the Amazon rainforest is a carbon sink and this is a factor in controlling climate change. Therefore, failing to use the forests in a Using something in a way that does not destroy it completely, for example growing food without destroying farmland or cutting down trees without destroying an entire forest. way has a negative impact on the whole planet.
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