Amazon Rainforest is close to tipping point

Speaking at the recent United Nations-sponsored Biodiversity Science Policy Conference in Paris, France, acclaimed tropical biologist Dr. Thomas Lovejoy warned that with 18% of the Amazon rainforest already gone, a cumulative loss of 20% will set forces in motion that reduce the forest just to one-third its original size within 65 years.

These research findings drew on the expertise of Japan's Meteorological Research Institute, the UK’s Exeter University, Brazil's Centre for Weather Forecasting and Climate Change, Germany's Potsdam Institute and Earth3000. Moreover, the study showed that the current combination of global warming, deforestation and forest fires are likely to undermine the Amazon's unique hydro-geological system whereby the forest self-generates at least half of its rainfall and also brings replenishing moisture to other regions.

Dr. Lovejoy's assessment affirms previous studies by the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, which warned that global warming would result in a 40% loss of this vital ecosystem.

Dr. Lovejoy and international scientist contributors, we thank you for your clear and cautionary message. In the narrow margin of time that remains, let us all work with renewed commitment to save our precious planet.

In her efforts to safeguard life on Earth, Supreme Master Ching Hai has frequently addressed the importance of conserving the rainforests, as in an October 2009 videoconference in Germany.

Supreme Master Ching Hai: Saving the world’s tropical forests, the lungs of the Earth, is one of the very important priorities. Because when the tropical rainforests are destroyed, there are many frightening side effects.

It’s not just the permanent changes to the world’s temperature, rainfall, and weather patterns which the forests regulate. It’s not just about the millions of people who might lose their livelihoods that depend on the forests.

There is the extinction of plant and animal species that is 100 times faster than what is natural, and it ruins our ecosystems. The rainforests themselves normally are our protectors, but as the climate gets warmer, instead of absorbing CO2 to protect our planet’s climate, they will be emitting back CO2 as

Now, we need to look at the main reason why there is deforestation. There is a whole industry behind it in most of the cases, namely the livestock industry. For example, the number one reason for deforestation of the Amazon, which is the greatest lung of our planet, is to raise cattle.

Supreme Master Ching Hai: Stop the livestock industry - that would be the most effective way to halt global warming and restore our planet. It will save our precious forests, which takes decades to grow, and create more natural forests that we need to reduce global warming.

http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=50194
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2010/02/amazongate-more-sloppy-writing-than-sloppy-science.php
http://news.mongabay.com/2010/0203-hance_amazontip.html

World's largest wetland threatened in brazil

Largest wetland in the world in decline. The Pantanal region, shared by Brazil, Bolivia and Paraguay, is the world’s largest wetland and home to an extraordinary array of rare animals, along with 650 species of birds. However, the area has become increasingly threatened by unsustainable economic development, large-scale deforestation and pollution. The biggest problem is cattle raising, which has caused a 63 percent loss of the Pantanal forests in elevated regions. Farm pollution now also jeopardizes the balance of the fragile ecosystem. Sandro Menezes, manager of Conservation International's Pantanal project said, "It's very probable that local flora and fauna will become extinct."

Conservation International, we appreciate this clear picture of the potential losses facing the unique Pantanal wetlands. Our prayers that a caring humanity adopts sustainable lifestyles to ensure the flourishing our world’s irreplaceably diverse inhabitants.


Videoconference with Supreme Master Ching Hai with Supreme Master Television staff
November 26, 2008

During a videoconference with Supreme Master Television staff in California, USA in November 2008, Supreme Master Ching Hai explained the interconnectedness of human-caused events, including the spiritual redemption that results from turning to a meat-free lifestyle:

Supreme Master Ching Hai: Fertilize for more animal feeding, clearing more forest for animal feeding, planting animal feed and fertilizing animal feed and run-off pollutions, acidity caused by run-off pollution and weather change and cause more destruction and then erosion, then reconstruction, etc., etc.

It’s the whole chain of effects. And another thing, people forget all the time the “cause and effect,” the karma. Even people now, they eat meat all these years and they just turn to vegetarian diet then their cancer is diminished or lessened, their sickness is gone, even cardiovascular disease and many other diseases just disappear. So even if the methane gas is still there in the air from the animal but we turn away from killing; we drop the butcher knife, then we are protected by our own virtues.
We are protected once we turn to be a compassionate person.