Amazon Rainforest Approaches Critical Tipping Point
Scientists warn that the Amazon rainforest is nearing an irreversible ecological tipping point as deforestation and climate change speed up. About 34% of the forest has already been cleared or degraded, prompting urgent calls for action ahead of the COP30 climate summit in Brazil.
Extent of Deforestation and Degradation
Research shows that approximately 17% of the Amazon has been completely cleared—an area roughly equal to the combined size of France and Germany—while another 17% has suffered serious degradation from human activities.
Ecological Changes in the Amazon Basin
According to Franco-Peruvian researcher Jhan-Carlo Espinoza from France's Institute of Research for Development,
"The southern Amazon Basin is already experiencing dramatic ecological changes. Regions in Bolivia are undergoing increasingly severe and prolonged droughts that are transforming rainforest into savanna-like terrain, while northern areas face intensified flooding due to disruptions in the hydrological cycle."
Record drought conditions in 2023 and 2024 have intensified these alarming trends.
Impact on Carbon Absorption and Rainfall
The combined effects of deforestation and rising global temperatures have seriously weakened the Amazon’s ability to absorb carbon dioxide and sustain regional rainfall patterns.
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