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<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://planetsave.com/blog/2009/01/29/80-percent-of-amazon-deforestation-stems-from-cattle-ranching-2/">http://planetsave.com/blog/2009/01/29/80-percent-of-amazon-deforestation-stems-from-cattle-ranching-2/</a><br>
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<h2><a
href="http://planetsave.com/blog/2009/01/29/80-percent-of-amazon-deforestation-stems-from-cattle-ranching-2/"
rel="bookmark"
title="Permanent Link: 80% of Amazon Deforestation Stems from Cattle Ranching">80%
of Amazon Deforestation Stems from Cattle Ranching</a></h2>
<div class="postinfo">
<div class="byline"> <span class="avatar"><img alt=""
src="cid:part1.08070305.07040605@aim.com" class="avatar avatar-32"
height="32" width="32"></span> <span class="author">Written by <a
class="local" href="http://greenoptions.com/author/alexfelsinger">Alex
Felsinger</a></span> </div>
<div class="date"><span class="verb">Published</span> on January 29th,
2009</div>
<div class="comments"><a
href="http://planetsave.com/blog/2009/01/29/80-percent-of-amazon-deforestation-stems-from-cattle-ranching-2/#comments">7
Comments</a></div>
<div class="cats"><span class="verb">Posted</span> in <a
href="http://planetsave.com/category/climate-change/"
title="View all posts in Climate change" rel="category tag">Climate
change</a>, <a
href="http://planetsave.com/category/nature-conservation/"
title="View all posts in Nature & Conservation" rel="category tag">Nature
& Conservation</a></div>
</div>
<p><a href="http://planetsave.com/files/2009/01/map.png"><img
class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-3871"
src="cid:part2.00000103.09000203@aim.com" alt="" height="283"
width="430"></a></p>
<h3>Greenpeace Brazil has released a report at the World Social Forum
in Belém showing that up to 80 percent of deforestation in the Amazon
rainforest is due to an increase in raising cattle for human
consumption.</h3>
<p>Brazil has quickly become the largest exporter of beef in the world,
but they are not satisfied with their current market share and plan to
increase production. The plan flies in the face of their supposed
commitment to tackle climate change. The country is currently the
fourth biggest emitter of greenhouse gases, 75% of which stem from
deforestation.</p>
<p><span id="more-3872"></span></p>
<p><em><strong>>> See Also: <a
title="Eat Meat Only on Special Ocassions" rel="bookmark"
href="http://planetsave.com/blog/2009/01/29/blog/2009/01/30/blog/2009/01/24/german-government-advisory-eat-meat-only-on-special-ocassions/">German
Government Advisory: Eat Meat Only on Special Occasions<br>
</a></strong></em></p>
<p>The map of Brazil above shows the concentration of cattle, mostly
focused on the Mato Grosso region in the southwest. Greenpeace used a
unique technique to prepare this and <a
href="http://www.greenpeace.org/usa/press-center/reports4/amazon-cattle-footprint-mato"
target="_blank">other maps in the report</a>:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Our Amazon team used specialized techniques to analyze
and compare satellite images of vegetation (or lack thereof) on the
ground, and data showing the growth of infrastructure, such as roads
and agribusiness. It is the first time that these two types of data
have been put together in this way. Our maps in the report <em><a
title="Amazon cattle footprint"
href="http://www.greenpeace.org/usa/press-center/reports4/amazon-cattle-footprint-mato">Amazon
cattle footprint</a>, </em>clearly show how much former rainforest is
now used for cattle pastures in Mato Grosso.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Unfortunately, similar as in the United States, the government fully
backs the agriculture industry with many politicians <a
href="http://news.mongabay.com/2009/0129-brazil.html" target="_blank">firmly
in the pockets of agribusiness.</a> They’ve even recently proposed
legislation to prevent environmental groups from setting up in the
Amazon.</p>
<p>However, with the economy moving how it is, expansion is becoming
less and less of an option.</p>
<p><a
href="http://planetsave.com/blog/2008/09/08/uns-top-climate-scientist-urges-people-to-combat-climate-change-by-eating-less-meat/"
target="_blank">What can you do</a>? Try <a
href="http://www.veganoutreach.org/" target="_blank">going vegetarian</a>,
or at least making sure the beef you’re eating comes from cows raised
near where you live.</p>
<p><strong>More information about the environmental impact of meat:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li><a
title="UN’s Top Climate Scientist Urges People to Combat Climate Change by Eating Less Meat"
rel="bookmark"
href="http://planetsave.com/blog/2009/01/29/blog/2008/09/08/uns-top-climate-scientist-urges-people-to-combat-climate-change-by-eating-less-meat/">UN’s
Top Climate Scientist Urges People to Combat Climate Change by Eating
Less Meat</a></li>
<li><a
href="http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg19526134.500-meat-is-murder-on-the-environment.html"
target="_blank">Meat is murder on the environment </a></li>
<li><a href="http://www.grist.org/news/maindish/2006/02/21/parker/"
target="_blank">How poultry producers are ravaging the rural South</a></li>
</ul>
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