Fires in the Rainforest: The Impossible Economics of a Disappearing Amazon
The Great Simplification #151 with André Guimarães
For millions of years, the Amazon Rainforest has been home to a stunning array of plant and animal species, has shaped our world’s climate, provided for millions of humans, and, as today’s guest likes to put it, served as “the heart of the planet.” But what economic and political factors are putting this vital ecosystem at risk, and what can be done to keep the “world’s heart” beating for future generations of all species?
In this conversation, I’m joined by agronomist & economist André Guimarães to explore the historical context – and modern expansion – of deforestation in Brazil; the difficult relationship between local economies, animal agriculture, and the health of the Amazon at large; and the role of policy in shaping environmental and developmental outcomes. André emphasizes the importance of indigenous peoples in conservation efforts, as well as the responsibility to ‘act locally while thinking globally’ to ensure that the Amazon can continue to provide not only for its inhabitants, but for the world at large.
Why is the Amazon Rainforest so important for global food production, and can it continue its massive output while sustaining the health of the forest? Why is the Amazon Rainforest burning? What is the Brazilian government's current approach to regulating deforestation, and how do local Brazillians, their families, and their economic realities fit into the conversation? Finally, how can we fulfill our global responsibility, no matter where we live, to protect it before it’s too late?
In case you missed it…
In last week’s Frankly, I described some of the battles - or polarities - of our time: the tensions and dichotomies we face from the global macro level all the way down to the level of individual metacognition. I reflected on how each of these polarities contribute in their own unique way to the overarching battle of power versus life. By harmonizing and better navigating these polarities we can move away from the extremes embedded in the Superorganism dynamic and instead sow the seeds for cultures in service of life which can flourish in the wake of the existing world order.
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