What the environmental issue is
A major environmental issue of the modern world, and the one I have chosen to explain is the deforestation of the Amazon rainforest located in Brazil, South America. Deforestation is the process of trees being cut down which makes a forest, thus making the forest smaller. Through out this webpage I will be explaining the causes, affects/consequences and what is being done to reduce the deforestation. I will also be including pictures of maps the affected areas and maps of the non-affected areas, and explaining who is causing the deforestation.

Causes of deforestation
There are many causes of the deforestation of the Amazon rainforest. One of which, and most proberly the biggest problem of them all is human activity. Humans use the Amazon rainforest resources for so many different things such as building chairs, tables and much more.

Maps of the affected areas and non-affected areas
What is being done to reduce this issue?
Many different organisations have been created to stop the deforestation of the Amazon, but it is still rapidly becoming a big problem. But, none of these are anything to do with the Brazilian government. Areas have been protected by the organisations trying to stop the deforestation, some have worked, some haven't. It is still being done today, and it is building up meaning that the deforestation is reducing but it still such a big problem that it may not be stopped. But the last three years have been the most destructive to the Amazon rainforest
 

Year	Square miles	Square kilometres
1978-1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004	8,158 6,944 5,332 4,297 5,322 5,950 5,751 11,219 7,013 5,034 6,501 6,663 7,658 7,027 9,845 9,500 10,088	21,130 17,985 13,810 11,130 13,786 15,410 14,896 29,059 18,160 13,040 16,840 17,259 19,836 18,130 25,500 24,605 26,129
Total	203,882	528,005

Consequences of the Amazon deforestation
If the deforestation continues then it could put the planet on the brink of a huge oxygen loss. The Amazon rainforest is a huge life line for the human race. It provides around 75% of the planets oxygen supply, and the deforestation is causing us to rapidly run out.
A lot of the planets animal life lives only in the Amazon and they require it to survive. By cutting down trees we are killing them. Also by burning the trees we may be burning there habitats ect.

Things you may not know about the Amazon
1995 was the worst year for the Amazon rainforest deforestation.
Almost a fifth of the Amazon has been cut down
The Amazon is bigger than western Europe.
The burning of trees in the Amazon is one of the biggest global warming worries.