Key Metrics
14.24
Heat Index-
Impact LevelMedium
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Scope LevelNational
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Last Update2025-09-04
Key Impacts
Negative Impacts (10)
Event Overview
Interlinked environmental pressures become evident as studies reveal direct connections between deforestation and reduced rainfall. Increasing deforestation accelerates ecological imbalance, highlighting the compounding effects of land use change and climate variability. The findings illustrate how human-driven ecosystem alterations contribute to changing weather patterns and disrupt the stability of critical biomes, emphasizing the intricate feedback loops between vegetation loss, hydrological cycles, and broader regional climate sensitivity.
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Study Finds Deforestation Primary Driver of Amazon Rainfall Decline
New research published in Nature Communications indicates that deforestation in the Amazon is the primary driver of declining rainfall in the region, contributing more to the drying trend than global warming. The study, conducted by researchers from the University of São Paulo, analyzed data from 1985 to 2020 across 29 areas in the Brazilian Legal Amazon, an area of about 5 million square kilometers. Using parametric statistical models, the research distinguished the impacts of deforestation and global climate change on temperature, precipitation, and greenhouse gas concentrations, including methane (CH4) and carbon dioxide (CO2). Deforestation accounts for about 74% of the 21 mm decline in dry season precipitation, with 15.8 mm (74.5%) attributed to tree loss, and 16.5% of the 2°C rise in maximum surface air temperature, with 0.39°C linked to deforestation. The remaining changes are due to global climate change. Amazonian trees influence the local climate by drawing water from the soil and releasing it into the air through transpiration, contributing to over 40% of the region's rainfall. This process forms clouds and creates low-pressure zones that attract moist air, known as the biotic pump. A 1% decrease in forest cover leads to a 3mm annual reduction in rainfall. Deforestation disrupts this cycle and alters monsoon patterns, increasing drought risks in central and southeastern Brazil and even the Andes. The Amazon experienced severe dry spells in 2023 and 2024, disrupting river transport and straining resources.