Brazil: Deforestation Rates in Amazon Drops 84%

noticias.band.uol.com.br reported on June 5, 2013, that the rate of deforestation in the Amazon fell by 84% compared to rates in 2004 when the government first launched the program designed to combat the environmental crime. Brazil’s goal is reduce deforestation in the Amazon to 3.9 square kilometers in the next seven years. Environmental Minister, Izabella Teixeira, stated that Brazil has made significant improvement to reduce deforestation as well as the emission of greenhouse gas over the recent years. Brazil is one step closer to reaching its pledged goal for 2020, however, issues of concern still involve the use of ethanol gasoline and powering dams. Pinguelli Rosa, director of the Alberto Luiz Coimbra Institute for Graduate Studies and Research in Engineering, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro urges the needed of increased investments in technology and innovation to help Brazil continue to move forward. Read Article