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Preserving Rain Forests: Economic & Environmental Balance

Explore the impact of deforestation on rain forests, biodiversity, and climate regulation. Learn about grassroots efforts, debt-for-nature swaps, and economic preservation strategies in Latin America.

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Preserving Rain Forests: Economic & Environmental Balance

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  1. Chapter 11 Today’s Issues

  2. Rain Forest Resources • Rain Forest & its Land uses: • It’s vegetation helps clean the earth’s atmosphere, regulate climate, & protect several million species of plants, insects, & other wildlife. • Scientist have just started to understand its biodiversity, but it is being destroyed at a rapid rate. • Over 50 million of acres a year. • Clearing the rain forests: • The rain forest is being clear because of its hard woods, such a mahogany & cedar, farming, & livestock. • Population Pressures: • ½ of the rain forest is located in Brazil. • Population growth is affecting the rain forest. • Population is now at 173 million and is expected to jump to 200 million in 2020.

  3. The Price of Destruction • Deforestation:the short term benefit are offset by the damage to the environment. • Environmental Concerns: • Rain forest help regulate the earth’s climate. • Slash-and-burn produces carbon dioxide & other harmful gases. • Plants and Animals in Danger: • Rain forest covers about 6% of the earth’s surface, it is home to an estimated 50% of the world plants & animal species. • Medical researchers are using plants for medicines and its still hold secrets of undetected medicines.

  4. Moving Toward Solutions • Saving the rain forest affect everyone, but what about economic development? • A juggling act: • Central problem on how to balance completing interest for economic development & preservation of the rain forest. • Grassroots organizations, their mission is to educate people about the value of the rain forest. • Fighting economics with economics: • Government should paid to preserve the rain forest, because it affect its economy. • Debt-for-nature-swap is a plan where government debts are paid in exchange for preserving the forests. • It will usually be an environmental organization. • It was successful in Bolivia & Costal Rica, where they use an economic system called ecotourism.

  5. Section 2: Giving a Citizens a Voice

  6. A Struggle to be Heard • Latin Americans today seek more democratic government, but until recently has shown little support for it. • The Legacy of Colonialism: • After the Spanish conquest of the region, Native Americans took their orders from governors who took their orders from the king or queen of Spain. • Even when they had won independence in the 1800s, they continue to be governed by small groups of Spanish colonists known as an oligarchy. It was not democratic. • Discriminated against all who were not of the Spanish ruling class. • Election where held, but they already knew who was going to win. • If the government was unable to control the people, the military would step in & sized power & form a hash government known as a junta, which was run by the generals.

  7. The rule of the Caudillo • Throughout the 20th century, many Latin American countries were ruled by a caudillo, a military dictator or political boss. • Example: Juan Peron of Argentina & Mexico (PRI) in power for 71 years. • His support came from the military and the wealthy. • There are elections, but usually same party wins.

  8. Establishing Stable Democracies • Creating democracies in Latin America requires political, economic, & land reforms. • The goals of Reform: • Establish constitutional government. • A freely-elected government & public participation of citizen. People need to be well educated & economic stable. • A lack of prosperity is usually follow by social & political unrest. • Argentina is an example of a country that had political unrest & then in 1980s change to democracy & the effects of making those changes. Most countries in Latin America when through this change. • Another goal of reform is to recognize & increase the role of women in politics.

  9. Land Reform • Latin America has been rule by a wealthy elite. Economic power, as well as land was/and is in the hand of the few. • Governments are breaking up large landholding and giving portions of land to land poor peasant farmers. • Benito Juarez started in 1858 and it was continue again after the Mexican Revolution. • The idea behind this is to create economic stability with a sound foundation. Democracy has a better chance of taking root.

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