Paving the way to the future of Amazonia

The fate of the Brazilian Amazon is threatened by a new wave of frontier expansion following new infrastructure commitments worth US$40 bn from the federal Government. In a recent paper, alarming rates of deforestation and forest degradation have been predicted, which could be either pessimistic or optimistic depending on the scale of forest disturbance being considered. A more decisive preventative approach is needed to prevent further impoverishment of both the biota and rural population of Amazonia.