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Agricultural intensification can help protect the Amazon Forest and reduce global warming

Authors :
Fabio Marin
Alencar Zanon
Juan Pablo Monzon
Jose Andrade
Evandro Silva
Luis Antolin
Bruna San Martin
Giovana Ribas
Rafael Battisti
Alexandre Heinemann
Patricio Grassini
Publication Year :
2022
Publisher :
Research Square Platform LLC, 2022.

Abstract

The Amazon basin includes 550 M ha covered with rainforests, with 60% of this area being in Brazil. Conversion of rainforest for soybean production raises concerns about the degree to which Brazil can reconcile production and environmental goals. Here we investigated the degree to which intensification could help Brazil produce more soybean without further encroachment of the Amazon Forest. Our analysis shows that continuation of current trends in soybean yield and area would lead to conversion of additional 5.7 M ha of forests and savannas during the next 15 years, with an associated 2550 Mt of CO2eq released into the atmosphere. In contrast, acceleration of yield improvement, coupled with expansion of soybean area only in areas currently used for livestock production, would allow Brazil to achieve similar economic benefits without deforestation and with substantially lower global climate warming.

Details

Database :
OpenAIRE
Accession number :
edsair.doi...........246d2a7f0dd46a5593d5224050b95651
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-1581982/v1