The Union of South American Nations Primary Issue: The Question of the Preservation of the Amazon

Transcription

1 The Union of South American Nations Primary Issue: The Question of the Preservation of the Amazon

2 I. Introduction Whenever the topic of preservation or conservation is mentioned, the case study and example of the Amazon never fails to emerge. Having been one of the largest natural resources in the world, the status of its conservation and preservation has always been of great importance, especially in the face of the pursuit for economic progress amongst its host countries. Since the 1970s, 20% of the Amazon rainforest has been deforested and the remaining rainforest is still declining. Deforestation has only started slowing down in the last decade, having reached its peak in the 1990s at an annual rate of more than 27,000 square kilometres. Though policies and laws have been put into place to curb deforestation and protect the rainforest, the Amazon is still threatened by illegal loggers, illegal mining and loss of conservation status by countries desperate to boost or save their economy. Despite deforestation rates declining over the years to less than 30% of what it was a decade ago, the recent lifting of conservation status of major conservation sites of the Amazon to allow for mining has sparked public outrage and an uproar from environmentalists all over the world. A decree was made on 23 August 2017, when President Michel Temer of Brazil eliminated an environmental reserve of 46,450 sq km (17,800 square miles) - an area equivalent in size to the state of Espírito Santo - on the border area between Pará and Amapá, known as the National Reserve of Copper and Associates (Renca) to open it up for mining, with a purpose not just to boost the industry but to bring control over activity that is already being performed by illegal miners who use destructive methods that poison the rivers with mercury 1. The decree has since been revoked due to severe backlash. As an old Spanish saying goes, Pan para hoy, hambre para manana which translates to Bread for today, hunger for tomorrow, UNASUR must come together to discuss the preservation of the Amazon and a course of action to ensure that they do not lose one of the most valuable resources on Earth to short term economic wealth. II. Background Information The Amazon is home to a vast biosphere of marine and terrestrial life, consisting mainly of the Amazon Basin and the Amazon Rainforest. Covering a whopping 5,500,500 square kilometres in moist, broad-leaved forest, the Amazon represents over half of the world s rainforests 2. It produces over 20% of the world s oxygen and has been commonly described as the lungs of the earth, providing the essential environmental service of continuously recycling carbon dioxide into oxygen. Owing to this, the Amazon is also one of the largest carbon sinks in the world. The Amazon is home to more than 10 million species of flora and fauna, flaunting a

3 biodiversity unmatched in the entire world, with only 1% of species documented and new discoveries made every year, a new species discovered on an average of every two days. Other than balancing a complex eco-system, many have speculated that the Amazon may unlock the secrets to curing most illnesses that to this day medical science has not found a cure for, and this is not without evidence as over 3,000 species of plants from the Amazon have been discovered to have anticancer properties. The Amazon River and its many tributaries form the Amazon basin which covers about 40% of South America, providing a source of hydropower and freshwater to its surrounding regions. Originating in Mataro River Drainage, the Amazon River flows through Brazil, Colombia and Peru, splitting into smaller river systems and tributaries as it makes its way across the continent to discharge into the Atlantic Ocean at Brazil. At an average discharge of cubic metres per second of freshwater, the power of Amazon River has been utilised for hydropower since the 1970s, with plans for more dams to be built in the near future 3. Economic Activities The economies of the constituent South American Nations have long been intertwined with the resources of the Amazon, exporting timber and minerals through logging and mining. The fertile soil and accessibility to water (from the Amazon River) has also promoted the growth of the agricultural sector around the Amazon, with the leading industries being cattle ranching and soya bean farming. Vast tracts of rainforests are cleared to make room for such economic activities, usually by slash and burn method which is common in the agriculture sector as it leaves the soil nutrient-rich and is beneficial to the growth of crops. Many Amazonian villages depend on such activities for survival and many have also flocked to the region for similar reasons. The economic profit and prosperity generated may seem attractive but they are usually short term and maintaining the same rate of economic profit usually results in clearing more land, as Amazon resources require time to regenerate. Additionally, these economic activities tend to leave behind a trail of pollution and destruction, such as soil erosion and contamination of regions. This has resulted in a cycle of deforestation that leaves in its wake detrimental effects 4. Road Building and Urbanisation In the course of urbanization and increasing accessibility through the Amazon, roads and highways have been built into the rainforest, however creating easy access in the Amazon and across it has also allowed for the settlement of those trying to make economic profit off of the rainforest as well as more access to resources that were previously remote and hidden. Satellite images have shown a pattern of deforestation along roads. In the 1970s, Brazil began building the Trans-Amazonian Highway from near the country's easternmost point on the Atlantic coast to its western border, where the state of

4 Amazon meets Peru. The route opened up the heart of the Amazon to logging, ranching and settlement, causing deforestation rates to soar. Extreme spells in the 1990s and early 2000s claimed more than 25,000 square kilometres a year 5. The creation of these new routes inevitably increases the propensity of land invasion and deforestation that eventually evade government oversight. Drug Dealing and Wildlife Trade These roads, along with the numerous river systems and remoteness of the Amazon has made the region a hotspot for drug dealing across South American State, as well as the wildlife trade. These illegal activities generate a lot of income and as a result have been widespread in the Amazon where law enforcements are weak. Villages around the Amazon are involved in these activities, providing services to smuggler as they travel across the borders with their goods. Some villages even depend on these for survival, especially on the wildlife trade. Though international laws have been enacted and local laws ban this trade, exotic animals and plants are still in hot demand all over the world, fetching high prices on the black market. With many species already categorised as endangered, this trade threatens the biodiversity of the Amazon which could have a multiplier effect on the rest of the ecosystem. Drug dealing in the region has given rise to the operation of gangs and criminal syndicates in Amazonian Towns and Villages. When crime syndicates move in, the rates of violence increases, resulting in an unsafe environment for Amazonian dwellers. In comparison to the rest of South America, Amazonian areas tend to have higher homicide rates, resultant of both crime syndicate activity and conflict between indigenous peoples and illegal businesses 6. Drug dealing has been a major problem throughout the entirety of south America and with the Amazon as one of the main trading routes, the cracking down of these trade in the area would also mean a reduction in drug transactions in the surrounding nations. Hydrological Developments Developments in technology that rely on hydropower for the production of electricity, especially the building of dams can interfere, often detrimentally, with the natural state of being in the Amazonian territory. The construction of dams causes flooding along the reservoir areas, actuating the need for the indigenous populations inhabiting said areas to migrate away. Moreover, the building of the dams would require the building of roads for the transportation of materials for building the dam in the first place, causing further disturbance. Many communities also relying on the river water as a primary source of food, as the natural flow of water downstream will be halted by the dams. Beyond impacting the natural environment, the construction of dams come at an external cost, that is not recompensed to the affected third parties.

5 Indigenous People Indigenous people have settled in the Amazon long before colonialism and have developed their own culture and ways of life over the years. As such, their livelihoods are a pertinent point of discussion in the context of this discussion. These individuals play an important role in preserving the sanctity of the Amazon. In some cases, it can be argued that their enforcement can sometimes be more effective than that by governments, given their extensive knowledge and familiarity of the territory. Their assistance in this regard can actually be employed in ensuring that there are no prolonged illegal activities in the Amazon. However, some tribes prefer to remain uncontacted by the modern world and will have a completely different response to interference. Many of these tribes live on resource rich land which companies and big corporations are constantly eyeing. This has led to a spike in violent conflict between the indigenous peoples and businessmen. Despite laws to protect the indigenous peoples, these laws are not strongly enforced and indigenous people are sometimes still forced out of the lands they have been inhabiting for years. These people are unfamiliar with the modern world and are vulnerable to exploitation, specifically the women as there have been reports of kidnappings and sexual exploitation of displaced indigenous women and children. As a result, many displaced indigenous people live in poverty, unable to adapt to the modern world which they have been forcefully thrown in. As for those who still live in the safety of the forest, their homes are also constantly threatened by government decrees of lifting conservation status or private-owned companies infringing upon their land. They are also vulnerable to developments around their region such as hydropower developments which damage the ecosystems on which they depend on for survival. Many protests over the years have been made by indigenous peoples, and though their voices are heard, they are still subject to government decisions and cannot change or stop any developments in the region despite being the biggest stakeholders. Conflicting Interests The Amazon is a source of income for many people living in Amazonia, with the products of its many natural resources being sold regionally and globally, contributing to the economies of the countries within Amazonia. In its entirety, the economic value of the Amazon would be able to boost the economy of its respective countries by more than tenfold if it were actively utilised, possibly being able to propel these countries towards economic prosperity within a short period of time. This growth in economy would translate into the increased wealth of the respective countries, allowing governments to further develop their country and her people. Developmentalism is based on the notion that a prosperous economy is the basis for progress and development. Given that many

6 Amazonian countries are third-world countries that are trying to develop themselves, many within the government harbour developmentalist mentalities and see the Amazon as a valuable resource to be utilised and exploited for the sake of boosting the economy. This, however, has been inhibited by conservationist policies in place that stipulate certain areas of the Amazon to be conserved and protected as well as laws that govern logging and other destructive but lucrative economic activities. Since the discovery and realisation of the biodiversity and scientific value of the Amazon, conservationist sentiments have been on a rise and many countries have been pressured by international organisations to take a conservationist stance towards deforestation in Amazonia. Numerous protests and demonstrations by the indigenous peoples who reside in the Amazon and depend on it for a livelihood has also pushed the issue of conservation of the Amazon into the limelight, further pressuring governments to step up on conservation measures and tighten regulations on destructive economic activities. Due to such policies in place, deforestation has decreased over the years, however it has been on the rise in recent years with the change in governance of certain countries in Amazonia. In order to raise the level of development and work towards a more prosperous economy, some restrictions on the aforementioned policies have been loosened and the conservation status of protected areas are also in jeopardy. There has been constant disagreement over the utility of the Amazon and despite sustainable development being a viable option as it is a compromise of both viewpoints, both parties involved in the disagreement still push for certain aspects of their views and have yet to come to a proper consensus. III. Definitions Amazonia Also known as the Amazon Rainforest, or Amazon Jungle, it is a large tropical rainforest occupying the drainage basin of the Amazon River and its tributaries in northern South America, and covering an area of 2,300,000 square miles (6,000,000 square km). Comprising about 40 percent of Brazil s total area, it is bounded by the Guiana Highlands to the north, the Andes Mountains to the west, the Brazilian central plateau to the south, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Sustainability Attaining sustainability is meeting the needs and wants of the present without depleting the ability of the future generations to do the same. Common Access Resources (CAR) Common access resources, are natural resources or gifts of nature such as forests, wildlife, clean air and water sources which are typically rivalrous in consumption, which is an economic concept in which the usage of

7 a particular resource, for example the Amazon rainforest, by one party diminishes the quality of the resource for the next usage. For example, the act of deforestation in the Amazon reduces the amount of trees present in the rainforest, hence reducing the overall quality of the forest for the future generations. IV. Scope of Debate Conservation against Development The economic value of the Amazon is undeniable, however at the current rates of destruction, this resource could be severely depleted in the long run. Given the various economic activities revolving around the Amazon, delegates will be required to weigh the economic benefits and environmental costs of the current rate of destruction, and to come to a consensus on how to balance these two equally essential aspects of their own country and the union as a whole. Impacts of Activities in Amazonia Before 2004, destruction of Amazonian Areas was not as regulated as of current, resulting in many environmentally harmful and destructive economic activities taking place. Due to the lack of supervision and regulation, these economic activities have taken a toll on its surrounding areas, resulting in effects such as pollution. Despite tightened governance over these economic activities, the effects remain and have yet to be mitigated. It will be up to the delegates who will decide the measures taken to reverse the damage caused previously so as to protect the ecosystem and the people who depend on it. Hydrological Developments in the Region The Amazon River amasses great power and it is to no surprise that it provides power and energy to the people around so as to reduce reliance on fossil fuels and natural gases. Multiple dams and various hydrological developments have been in progress to cater to the growing demand for energy which should have positive impacts in terms of a reduction in carbon emissions, however it has taken a toll on the natural environment and marine life. The construction of dams has resulted in deforestation and pollution in many areas, contaminating the previously untouched environment and affecting the lives of the people in the vicinity. Delegates will be required to weigh the benefits of hydropower, taking into consideration at what expenses they come at, and decide the extent of hydropower development they will be willing to finance with or without irreversible destruction of the environment. Enforcement of Laws Due to the vast expanse of the Amazon and widespread corruption, laws in the Amazonian areas are not strongly enforced and these areas tend to be steeped in illegal forest activities as well as violent crimes. Other than the physical destruction of the Amazon, delegates should also take into consideration the social destruction taking place as a result of these illegal activities,

8 which could further weaken any efforts to protect the Amazon. Rights of the Indigenous Peoples Of all stakeholders in this fight to preserve the Amazon, the ones who are most greatly affected and involved are the indigenous peoples. Having settled in the Amazon long before the present day, the indigenous peoples have a de facto claim over the lands, surviving off its resources by hunting and gathering food as well as subsistence farming. However, due to the enacting of laws governing the registration of lands, many indigenous people have been stripped their ancestral lands and forced to integrate into urban society, with little to no knowledge on how to survive. As a result, many of these indigenous peoples live in poverty, exploited by companies as a source of cheap labour. The safety of these peoples are also frequently threatened as they stand in the way of companies who want to profit off the land. This has resulted in cases of conflict and violence, wherein the indigenous peoples are usually victimised. Indigenous peoples are still the responsibility of their respective countries and delegates should ensure that their well-beings are taken care of. V. Potential Solutions Tightening Laws and Enforcement Loosening of certain laws and policies has provided loopholes for big companies to exploit natural resources unsustainably, and has also attracted many businesses due to decreased taxes and laxed regulations. Coupled with widespread corruption amongst officials and ministries, unsustainable practices are still widespread and go unreported. Firstly to address the damage caused by legal activities of major companies, delegates should consider a reevaluation of certain laws that do not safeguard the health of the rainforest. A possible solution would be to redefine the timber concessions so concessionaires have greater incentives to guard the long-term health of the forest and programs to revive and expand community-based forestry schemes, which ensure more rational use of forests and a better life for the people who live near them. Due to the limited accessibility of the rainforest as well as a lack of enforcement, many laws and policies are of questionable effectiveness, however in areas with stronger enforcement of laws and policies, deforestation has been observed to decline, hence a solution to standardise enforcement throughout Amazonian territories would be able to put the laws and policies to good use. This would be especially applicable for areas ridden with illegal crime syndicate activities such as drug trafficking and the wildlife trade.

9 Mandatory Site Surveys The construction of any major projects in the Amazon will have significant impacts on the environment due to its complex marine and terrestrial ecosystems that are interlinked. In past years, there has been controversy surrounding the building of dams along the Amazon River, particularly because of the pollution it creates during its construction as well as the negative impacts it has on marine biodiversity in the region. Despite so, hydropower is still a much-needed source of energy and the building of dams caters to this demand. Many a time, there are no proper site surveys done in the areas selected to be constructed upon and as such, possible negative impacts on the people and the environment around it are not detected or considered in its construction, which results in a lack of measures taken to prevent such damage. Though damage to a certain degree is inevitable, mandatory site surveys ensure that stakeholders are fully aware of risks involved in the construction and are able to take appropriate action to mitigate them. to defend their homes from and prevent its destruction. They are familiar with the landscape of the forests and river systems, and will be able to detect small scale illegal activities that satellite images are unable to detect, hence providing valuable information that can help to prevent unsustainable practices. Granting of Property Rights One of the issues with the Amazon rainforest being a common access resource is that it lacks any form of property rights, where there are no parties that can claim ownership to the territory, granting the territory nonexcludability, which means that there can be unrestricted use of the Amazon. By granting property rights to tribes living in the Amazon, the unrestricted use can be stymied as users will have to pay to use the territory. Cooperation between Indigenous Peoples and Governments Corruption within government agencies and officials has inhibited efforts to control and regulate the economic activities in Amazonia as they are easily bought over or pressured by profit-driven companies or even locals who try to obtain false papers without adhering to local land laws. On the other hand, indigenous peoples who has resided on the land for hundreds of years have an incentive

10 VI. Further Questions VII. Conclusion 1. Should countries jeopardize their economy and development over conservation? 2. Should deforestation allowed to a limited extent for the greater good of the society? 3. What kind of support can regional countries provide to protect the Amazon? 4. Is there a way to completely eliminate illegal logging or mining? 5. What further reformations can be done to current existing policies so as to minimize forest cover loss? 6. What can be done to safeguard the rights of the Indigenous Peoples and protect them from abuse? The preservation of the Amazon has been thrown into the international spotlight for years and is an issue that has never been resolved despite numerous local measures and international agreements. The complexity of this issue lies in the economic value of these natural resources that could potentially improve the economy of its host countries by tenfold as well as urban development at the expense of an irreplaceable ecosystem that could have detrimental long-term effects on the society. Though it is impossible to completely eradicate all destructive activities, delegates are advised to come up with creative solutions to better deal with the various issues, at the same time keeping in mind their country s dependency on the Amazon as well as the wellbeing of the various stakeholders involved. 7. What can governments do to ensure strong enforcement of laws? 8. Are there other ways to profit from the Amazon without destroying it?

11 VIII. Bibliography 1. University of Texas at Austin The Amazon Basin Hill, David "Will European supermarkets act over Paraguay forest destruction?". the Guardian Sundström, Aksel "UNDERSTANDING ILLEGALITY AND CORRUPTION IN FOREST MANAGEMENT: A LITERATURE REVIEW". University of Gothenburg Ezez "Forest Governance - Peru Global Forest Atlas". Globalforestatlas.yale.edu Butler, Rhett "Deforestation rates for Amazon countries outside Brazil". Conservation news Goldberg, Rachel "Corruption and Illegal Logging - Amazon Aid Foundation". Amazon Aid Foundation Espinosa, Adriana "8 countries together to conserve protected areas of the Amazon FAO". Fao.org Hill, David "Peru's plans to cut air quality rules would smooth sale of top polluter". The Guardian Ewing, Reese "Brazil to flood Amazon rainforest for hydroelectric power". Conservation news Butler, Rhett "Dams in the Rainforest". Mongabay.com.

12 11. Nobre, Carlos A. et al "Land-use and climate change risks in the Amazon and the need of a novel sustainable development paradigm". Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America Fearnside, Philip "Business as Usual: A Resurgence of Deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon". Yale E Hill, David " Indigenous peoples are the best guardians of world's biodiversity ". the Guardian Hill, David "Ecuadorians denounce foreign loggers in Yasuni national park". the Guardian Hill, David "$1bn to clean up the oil in Peru s northern Amazon". the Guardian. billion-oil-perus-amazon. 16. Levine, John "Brazil: profit and poverty fuel Amazon deforestation". Wsws.org Cuba, Martha "Deforestation now driven by profit, not poverty". CIFOR Forests News "Economic Development Of The Amazon Is Essential For Conservation, Thinks Bertha Becker" Treehugger. Accessed October Butler, Rhett "Deforestation will undercut effectiveness of rainforest dams". Conservation news Butler, Rhett "Tribesmen launch 'occupy' protest at dam site in the Amazon rainforest". Conservation news.

13 21. Butler, Rhett "Dams are rapidly damning the Amazon". Conservation news Butler, Rhett "Will mega-dams destroy the Amazon?". Conservation news Neuman, William & Zarate, Andrea "Corruption in Peru Aids Cutting of Rain Forest". Nytimes.com.