Final Project Overview
The Amazon rainforest made headlines around the world earlier this year following record fires. The Amazon rainforest has been burning at a record rate this year and more than 120,000 fires have been detected since the start of the year. The devastating fires are destroying the homes of indigenous tribes and threatening millions of animals.
Deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon has surged to its highest rate in more than a decade, according to new data from Brazil’s National Institute for Space Research (INPE). It’s an alarming development in one of the most critical ecosystems for the planet.
The Amazon has one of the highest concentrations of biodiversity in the world. Its trees keep the air cool, cycle moisture, and generate about half its own rainfall while also providing water to nearby farms and cities. Its vegetation and soil are a massive reservoir of carbon that become a source of emissions with fires and deforestation. So losing swaths of rainforest threatens regional rainfall patterns, the global climate, and some of the most unique forms of life on the planet.
For this project, I’ll explore questions such as:
-What caused the Amazon fires
-Why are the Amazon fires such a big deal?
-How are the Amazon fires being addressed?
-What can be done to stop deforestation?
The following data source will be used to complete this project: