The Value of the Amazon: Its Importance for Climate and Biodiversity

Protecting our forests is essential to tackle climate change and ensure a sustainable future for all

Home to the largest tropical rainforest on the planet, the Amazon biome is a true global treasure. With its vast expanse, rich biodiversity, and abundant water resources, the Amazon attracts the interest of people from all over the world. Moreover, it’s important to highlight that its biomass represents a significant carbon stock, a crucial condition for tackling climate change.

To further emphasize its vital importance, Amazon Day is celebrated on September 5th. Established by Brazilian Law No. 11.621 on December 19, 2007, this date invites us to reflect and come together to protect this natural wealth.

Want to know more? Keep reading to understand the Amazon’s value in the fight against climate change.

The Amazon is Vital for the Planet’s Climate Balance

Concern for the preservation of the Amazon is growing. When we consider the climate crisis, we can see even more clearly how crucial its protection is. Actions that keep forests standing bring socio-environmental improvements and help prevent disasters caused by global warming.

One of the World’s Most Valuable Natural Treasures

Covering eight states in Brazil and 125 federal conservation units, the Amazon accounts for 49.29% of Brazil’s territory, and is considered the largest biome on Earth. It’s worth highlighting that other South American countries are also part of this rich biome, including Suriname, Bolivia, Guyana, French Guiana, Venezuela, Colombia, Peru, and Ecuador.

The Amazon is also an important source of biodiversity. It is home to approximately 40,000 plant species, 300 mammal species, and 1,300 bird species across an area of 4,196,943 km², made up of dense and open forests.

Carbon stock reflects the complexity and biodiversity of the Amazon

Brazilian researchers state that the way carbon is distributed and stored in the Amazon’s forest ecosystems plays a fundamental role in climate change. According to a study published in the Revista De Gestão E Secretariado, the environmental balance of the Amazon biome is influenced by a complex interaction of patterns and processes. The research aimed to quantify the aboveground carbon stock of trees and their stored energy in the state of Pará.

The results indicate high average variability in biomass metrics (1.18 Mg), carbon (2.15 t), CO₂ volume (1087.66 Nm³), and thermal energy (21665.11 GJ) of the trees’ above-ground parts, reflecting the complexity and diversity of the Amazon rainforest.

Thus, it is suggested that management and conservation strategies consider both species preservation and the maintenance of structural diversity in forests. This approach would help ensure that ecological functions, including carbon sequestration, are maintained.

“The Amazon plays a central role in global climate balance through carbon storage in its forests. Our results show that the significant variability in biomass and energy stocks reflects the complexity of this biome and reinforces the importance of continuously investing in research and monitoring to ensure its long-term resilience.”

Prof. Pedro Brancalion
Director of Innovation and Researcher at CCARBON/USP

Preserving the Amazon is Essential and Benefits Everyone

The protection of the Amazon is crucial, as it helps maintain the Earth’s ecological balance and sequester a significant amount of carbon from the atmosphere. Therefore, deforestation worsens climate change, since the Amazon directly influences rainfall patterns across Latin America.

Thus, one of the most effective ways to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere is through forest restoration. In addition to aiding climate regulation, forest restoration plays a crucial role in preserving biodiversity and controlling soil erosion.

Amazon Preservation and the Sustainable Development Goals

Forest restoration initiatives, therefore, not only address climate change but also promote the conservation of terrestrial ecosystems and the sustainable management of water. In this way, they create a positive impact on multiple United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): SDG 13, Climate Action; SDG 15, Life on Land; and SDG 6, Clean Water and Sanitation. In other words, forest restoration directly contributes to mitigating climate change, helps protect, restore and promote the sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, and plays a vital role in maintaining water resources.

References

Instituto Chico Mendes de Conservação da Biodiversidade (ICMBio). Biodiversidade Amazônica. Disponível em: https://www.gov.br/icmbio/pt-br/assuntos/biodiversidade/unidade-de-conservacao/unidades-de-biomas/amazonia Acesso em: 20/09/2024.

Machado, G. de O., Brancalion, P. H. S., & Fernandes, A. A. (2024). Estimativa de biomassa e estoque de carbono da floresta amazônica do Estado do Pará. Revista De Gestão E Secretariado, 15(8), e3971 . https://doi.org/10.7769/gesec.v15i8.3971