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Nearly 20% of the trees have been cut down, posing a huge challenge to the Amazon rainforest. The Amazon rainforest is an important resource not only for Brazil but also for the whole world. For this vast rainforest, the coming year seems set to have a significant impact on its future. According to the BBC, over the past 40 years, nearly 20% of the trees in the Amazon rainforest have been cut down, replaced by pasturelands and soybean plantations. In addition, illegal deforestation is also rampant. Greenhouse gases emitted from deforestation and forest fires account for 75% of Brazil’s total emissions. Although deforestation in Brazil has slowed by 59% over the past three years, the problem remains serious. Last December, Brazilian President Lula said that the rate of deforestation increased by 10% between August and November 2007, and he also announced the signing of a law imposing fines on the purchase or trade of soybeans and beef produced in areas where deforestation has occurred illegally. Currently, hundreds of federal police officers and over 1,600 inspectors are working in the forest areas to protect the forests and the environment. Brazil **states that in recent years it has stepped up its oversight efforts, seized over 1 million cubic meters of timber, arrested hundreds of people responsible for deforestation, and established large-scale forest protection areas. At the United Nations Climate Change Conference held in Bali, Brazil also announced its intention to establish a volunteer fund for Amazon conservation in 2008. From a broader international perspective, the Bali conference also decided to include forest protection as a topic for discussion in future climate change agreements. As Brazil’s focus on this issue increases, we can expect that in the coming months new measures will be introduced by Brazil to more effectively protect the Amazon rainforest. Environmental organizations have welcomed this move by **. However, some believe that the recent decline in deforestation rates is due to falling prices of soybeans and meat, and once those prices rise again, deforestation will resume. Marcelo Furtado, representative of Greenpeace Brazil, said, “We once had a **plan to address deforestation**, but due to **various reasons**, this plan remained only on paper and was difficult to implement.” Although there is satisfaction at the reduction in deforestation, the overall situation remains unchanged. The Environment Ministry still lacks funding, and police in some areas also lack the necessary oversight tools. At the same time, legal oversight is also unsatisfactory. ” John Carter, the head of an environmental organization in Brazil, looks at the issue from a different perspective. He believes that environmental organizations pay too much attention to laws and their enforcement, while ignoring the complexity of deforestation issues. He believes that more effective than traditional protective measures is providing incentives for agricultural producers to be motivated to protect forests. An official from Brazil’s Environment Ministry said it would be difficult to reduce deforestation rates to the same level as in 2007 by 2008, especially given the current market pressures. But he believes that the bill signed by the president will draw more attention to this issue. He pointed out that the responsibility for protecting forests lies not only with farmers; it is a chain reaction, and buyers of agricultural products also have a responsibility. He believes that these responsibilities should be shared. The next few months will be a test of Brazil’s **determination, as many still believe that the Amazon rainforest will face another challenge. (Wang Hao) January 21, 2008 Source: People’s Daily Environment Protection Section