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WRI DIGEST
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Ending Deforestation in the Amazon Can Grow Brazil’s GDP—but That’s Not the Only Reason to Do It ( [link removed] )
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The Amazon rainforest has experienced several compounding threats lately: raging wildfires ( [link removed] ) , rampant deforestation, record-breaking drought ( [link removed] ) and more. A new study from the journal Nature ( [link removed] ) is the first of its kind to compare the cumulative effects of these events. The findings paint a grim picture, where the sprawling rainforest could soon pass a tipping point and turn to grasslands.
Part of the reason protecting the Amazon has been so difficult is because countries like Brazil have built their economies on the agricultural commodities that drive deforestation. But research ( [link removed] ) from WRI Brasil and the New Climate Economy finds that rainforest conservation and economic growth don’t have to be at odds. Brazil can halt deforestation and still grow its economy across all major sectors, from livestock and agriculture to clean energy, creating thousands more sustainable jobs for local and Indigenous people. Researchers explain how to shift Brazil’s economy to a “bioeconomy” and protect the Amazon for years to come. Read more ( [link removed] ).

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Products from smallholders and family farmers in the state of Amazonas, Brazil. Low-carbon agricultural practices can help reduce the environmental impact of the Amazon's farming sector while raising farmers' incomes. Photo by Dereck Mangabeira/Idesam

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creischl/iStock

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Biofuels Are All the Buzz, but Increased Production May Harm Farmers and the Climate ( [link removed] )
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The U.S. uses approximately 180 million acres of prime farmland for producing corn and soy — the ingredients that make up most biofuels — and the Midwest is a hub for these crops. While the federal Renewable Fuel Standard sets targets for production of biofuels, research shows they’re not the climate-friendly solution they’re cracked up to be. In fact, making more biofuels may fuel climate change while squeezing out small farmers and endangering public health. Read more ( [link removed] ).

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Sam Maulidna/Shutterstock

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How Blue Carbon Can Tackle the Climate, Biodiversity and Development Crises ( [link removed] )
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One of the world’s richest sources of biodiversity is the ocean. Underwater “blue carbon ecosystems” like mangroves, seagrasses and salt marshes are home to millions of sea creatures. These ecosystems are also crucial to fighting climate change: They store 5 times more carbon per area than tropical forests and absorb it from the atmosphere 3 times faster. Read more ( [link removed] ).

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READ MORE EXPERT INSIGHTS ( [link removed] )
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VITAL VISUALIZATIONS
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Land use in the United States ( [link removed] )

Corn, a major component of biofuels, requires a significant amount of fertilizer to grow, which emits considerable greenhouse gases. Expanding biofuels production in the U.S. Midwest may harm the climate and small farmers in the process.

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