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Food and Sustainability #39: Fires and deforestation

Duration: 0:05:35.072653

The discussion revolves around the connection between agro-food systems and deforestation, featuring Nadir Marques and Estela São Severino, a graduate student and researcher at the Josué de Castro Chair for Healthy and Sustainable Food Systems at USP. Estela explains that deforestation largely refers to the conversion of native vegetation, particularly forests, for agricultural and livestock purposes. A recent report highlights that over 97% of native vegetation loss in the last five years was due to agriculture. The Amazon and the Cerrado biomes are particularly affected, with significant areas being cleared for cattle ranching followed by monoculture crops like soy and corn. It is noteworthy that most of these crops (about 41% of global grain production) are used for animal feed, especially for poultry and pigs. The conversation also addresses the critical situation regarding fires in Brazilian biomes in 2024. The Pantanal experienced severe fires, exacerbated by climate change and poorly managed agricultural land clearing. Deforestation significantly contributes to climate change, with agro-food systems responsible for a third of global emissions, including 18.4% from forest conversion. Deforestation itself accounts for 11% of total greenhouse gas emissions. Estela points out that Brazil has the potential to implement strategies such as zero deforestation, regenerative cattle ranching, and restoring degraded lands to mitigate climate change. The discussion concludes with Nadir thanking Estela for her insights and encouraging listeners to explore more about sustainable food systems.

Language: Brazilian Portuguese
Topics: AgricultureDeforestationAgro-Food Systems

2024 is the hottest year ever seen on Earth; understand

Duration: 0:13:04.082416

In a recent discussion on CBN Radio, Marco Bravo addressed the alarming forecast that 2024 is expected to be the hottest year on record. This assertion is backed by data from the Copernicus Institute, which indicates a global temperature rise of 1.5 degrees Celsius. Bravo emphasized the serious repercussions of climate change, arising primarily from industrialization and the resultant increase in carbon emissions due to fossil fuel consumption, deforestation, and other human activities. He outlined the implications of this temperature rise, highlighting that it leads to more extreme weather patterns, including torrential rains in some regions and droughts in others. Bravo noted that this altered climate affects critical ecological systems, such as the Amazon rainforest, whose plants play a key role in the global carbon cycle and agriculture. Additionally, he discussed the dangers of thawing permafrost in the Arctic, which could release significant amounts of methane, a potent greenhouse gas. He warned about the devastating impact of deforestation and urban expansion without proper planning, suggesting that Brazil does not need to clear more land to increase agricultural productivity. Bravo also mentioned Brazil's potential in renewable energy sources and the importance of restoring degraded land to mitigate climate change. He concluded by highlighting recent extreme weather events in Brazil as a reflection of climate change’s reality, urging the need for awareness and concrete actions to address these pressing issues.

Language: Brazilian Portuguese
Topics: Climate changeRising Global TemperaturesDeforestation, Renewable Energy, and Mitigation Strategies