STATE OF THE RAINFOREST 2014
41
area than any other river. 2,500 species of fish are recorded, more
than in the Atlantic Ocean.
6
The Amazon rainforest exchanges vast
amounts of water and energy with the atmosphere, creating half of its
own rainfall and affecting the climate at a regional scale, well beyond
the rainforest.
7
It stores 90 billion tonnes of carbon.
8
By its impact
on climate, deforestation in the Amazon may affect agricultural
production on regional and even intercontinental scale. The Amazon
rainforest is home to the greatest variety of species on terrestrial
earth. The region itself is diverse, with distinct characteristics in flora
and fauna linked to altitude or climate zone. 30,000 plant species
are registered in Brazil, and as many as 4,200 species of butterflies
in Peru – considered a world record.
9
This biological richness has its
cultural correspondence. The Amazon is home to some 385 different
indigenous peoples,
10
still speaking more than 300 languages.
11
Officially recognized indigenous territories make up a total of 1.6
million km
2
, or 21.1% of the Amazon. Another 500,000 km
2
is either
occupied by indigenous peoples, being claimed by them, or in the
process of recognition, which could bring the sum total of indigenous
territories up to 27.5%.
12
Two thirds of the recognized indigenous
territories (68%) are to be found in Brazil, corresponding roughly to
Brazil’s 64% share of the Amazon region.
Comparing continents, South America is undoubtedly world
champion when it comes to indigenous peoples’ rights. Great
advances in legal frameworks and recognition of collective territorial
and cultural rights have been made since the 1970s, and also the
willingness to undertake international commitments has grown.
Between 1991 and 2002 the six major Amazon countries ratified the
legally binding ILO Convention 169 on indigenous and tribal peoples,
whereas neither Guyana, Suriname nor France (for French Guyana)
has done the same. All nine countries, however, have endorsed the
UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples from 2007. Yet,
realities on the ground may differ substantially from rights on paper.
Strong political influence from economic interest groups involved in
deforestation, like the agribusiness lobby in Brazil and the oil and
gas sector in Peru, impact directly on the opportunities for exercising
rights. Studies indicate that it is becoming increasingly dangerous
to defend human rights and the environment in the Amazon, as
the race for natural resources intensifies.
13
In the Brazilian Congress
there is reported to be 83 registered proposals for legislative bills
threatening indigenous rights and territories,
14
almost 75% of the
Peruvian Amazon is already opened for oil and gas concessions,
15
and
the present regimes in Bolivia, Ecuador and Guyana have proven to
Forest (2000)
Deforestation
(2001-2010)
B
RAZIL
B
OLIVIA
P
ERU
C
OLOMBIA
V
ENEZUELA
E
QUADOR
S
URINAME
G
UYANA
F
RENCH
G
UIANA
Extent of rainforest and deforestation in
the Amazon basin
Forest and deforestation extent
3 100
700
100
1
Thousands square kilometres
Annual deforestation rate
Percentage
2006-2010
2001-2005
Source: RAISG, Mapa Amazonia, 2012; IMAZON, Deforestation
and forest degradation in the Amazon Biome, 2011.
0,0
0,2
0,4
0,6
0,8
