Report reveals alarming reason why nation is running out of water: 'It's hypocritical to blame [it] alone'

The world's largest freshwater reserve is facing a crisis, according to The Ecologist.

What's happening?

Researchers are sounding the alarm that Amazonian deforestation is dramatically reducing rainfall frequency, creating a challenging agricultural environment for many neighboring regions. 

One estimate suggested rainfall has been down by more than 74% as a result of deforestation. This is due to the vital role mature trees play in drawing water up from the ground and transpiring it as vapor into the atmosphere. 

Brazil's National Water and Basic Sanitation Agency said Brazil's Cantareira basin was only at 22% capacity. 

Industrial clear-cutting for agricultural expansion, wood harvesting, and mining operations are major culprits for this trend, which may be creating a negative feedback loop. 2024 was the first year that fires destroyed more of the Amazon than deforestation.

Why are trees important?

While the destruction of trees poses a threat to stable precipitation, which human food supplies depend on, that's not the only ramification. 

Mature trees allow soil to absorb more water, which can otherwise run off the surface in flood conditions. Fewer trees mean less water in the soil to sustain vegetation, including food for wildlife. This disappearance of trees also means a decline in biodiversity.

What's being done about deforestation?

"It's hypocritical to blame Brazil alone for failing to combat deforestation while countries such as the United States, those in Europe, China, the U.K., and others continue to buy products linked to deforestation," said Luciana Gatti, senior researcher at Brazil's National Institute for Space Research. 

"If they stopped buying timber, meat, soy, corn, and minerals produced in deforested areas, deforestation could end very quickly."

Gatti advocated stricter limits on farming and the promotion of agroforestry so that food production and forest protection could operate hand in hand. 

You can do your part by cutting meat from your diet. Much of the deforestation in Brazil is driven by cattle farming; reducing demand can help minimize further erosion and help green spaces stay intact.

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