The Amazon is called the “lungs of the Earth” because it produces a massive amount of the world’s oxygen and absorbs a significant amount of carbon dioxide through its trees, helping to regulate the climate. Covering over 2.5 million square miles and spanning nine countries – Brazil, Peru, Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Bolivia, Guyana, Suriname, and the overseas territory of French Guiana – it is the world’s largest tropical rainforest. While a crucial carbon sink, the rainforest is also a vital part of the Earth’s water cycle and home to immense biodiversity, making its preservation critical for the health of the planet.
- Oxygen production: The rainforest produces about 20% of the world’s oxygen, which is essential for all life on Earth to breathe.
- Carbon dioxide absorption: It acts as a major carbon sink, absorbing large amounts of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, which helps combat climate change.
- Climate regulation: The Amazon’s vast forest cover helps regulate global temperatures and weather patterns, influencing the water cycle through evapotranspiration.
- Biodiversity: It is home to over half of the world’s plant and animal species, many of which are found nowhere else on Earth.
- Medicinal resources: 25% of all Western drugs are derived from rainforest plants, and given that only about 5% of the Amazon’s plants have been studied, the potential for discovering new medicines and treatments is huge.
- Threats: Deforestation due to agriculture, mining, cattle ranching, and fires is a major threat to this vital ecosystem.
From Carbon Sink to Carbon Source
In 2021, alarming studies confirmed for the first time that parts of the Amazon rainforest were emitting more carbon dioxide than they were able to absorb. The primary drivers of this change are deforestation and uncontrolled forest fires.
What can be done to save the Amazon
- Limit Deforestation and Control Fires
- Investment and International Cooperation
- Sustainable Development Practices
- Raising Awareness and Advocacy