Leading South America economically as it does, Brazil is the continent’s major emitter of carbon dioxide, and is also one of the world’s leading culprits of ongoing deforestation, reducing its value as a CO2 sink, and converting that same land to more carbon-intensive uses such as livestock farming and industry. Ongoing political instability has not helped, since industry and profiteering individuals have had a freer hand than they would otherwise. Brazil’s economy is the 12th largest in the world by GDP, though it is still classified as developing. It is one of the nations whose rush to catch up to the already-industrialized nations of North America and Europe have led it into a headlong, frequently haphazard, and occasionally ruinous course of economic development.
Emissions come from a variety of sources in an economy as diverse as Brazil. It is estimated that in 2016, 33.2% of carbon dioxide emissions came from agriculture, 28.9% from the energy industry, and 27.1% from land use change (loss of CO2 sinks due to deforestation and landscaping) and forestry. The majority of emissions within the energy industry is from transportation, which is commonly the case for industrialized nations.
Annual CO2 emissions, Brazil, 1901 - 2021
Cumulative CO2 emissions, Brazil, 1901 - 2021
Brazil’s climate is predicted to remain fairly stable through the 21st century, which is common among tropical nations, with some overall reduction in rainfall. Temperatures, particularly at night, are expected to warm. The arid northeast is modeled to become more arid, with the appearance of some desert zones. The monsoonal and rainforest will not disappear but are expected to shrink, though this expectation is based partly on current patterns of aggressive deforestation. The forest and plant cover in northern Brazil plays a major role in the local climate, as evapotranspiration—the absorption of water by plants, and its later evaporation—directs the monsoonal winds and affects weather patterns throughout and beyond the region. Forest loss weakens the entire cycle and leads to less precipitation overall.
Per capita CO2 emissions, Brazil, 1901 - 2021
Tomorrow: Amazon deforestation.
Be brave, and be well.
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