9781422274576

F or thousands of years people have been clearing land for growing crops and raising livestock. As civilizations grew, urbanization and industri- alization increased. Now, people clear not only land for cultivation, but also cut down forests to build roads, industries, and cities. Causes of Deforestation

Development of Infrastructure Human beings have come a long way since the age of hunter-gatherers. However, in doing so we have caused immense loss to the planet. Every day millions of people around the world are traveling from one place to another by trains, buses, and cars. Have you ever wondered how many acres of land have been cleared to connect these places? Food Requirements To meet the growing demands of food, mil- lions of acres of forested land across the world has been converted to agricultural land and pastures . Forested areas are be- ing opened up for migratory farmers, who move in and clear the land, usually by burn- ing down the trees. Apart from growing crops, many farmers also clear land to rear livestock. The increase in global demand for meat has greatly increased the demand for cattle grazing. In Brazil, cattle grazing is responsible for about 80 percent of rainfor- est destruction.

CLIMATE CHANGE: Problems and Progress

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