Protecting the Amazon’s Lungs Protects Human Lungs

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Protecting the #Amazon #rainforest, curbing #climatechange tropical #deforestation has many added benefits for climate health and human #health. This study by the University of Bonn finds that protecting the lungs of the Amazon protects human lungs. The respiratory benefits of less #airpollution were calculated by the team to save an estimated 680 human lives each year. 🌍 #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife

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Yannic Damm, Jan Börner, Nicolas Gerber, Britaldo Soares-Filho. Health benefits of reduced deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon. Communications Earth & Environment, 2024; 5 (1) DOI: 10.1038/s43247-024-01840-7

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“Our study has two messages. Namely, firstly, that the destruction of the rainforest can be successfully curbed. And, secondly, that this benefits not only the diversity of species and the global climate but also very specifically and very quickly the local population. This is an aspect that is still given too little consideration when assessing protective measures.”

ILR researcher Prof. Dr. Jan Börner. Member of Transdisciplinary Research Area (TRA) Sustainable Futures and the Cluster of Excellence “PhenoRob” at the University of Bonn.

Protecting rainforests not only preserves biodiversity and combats climate change but also significantly enhances human health in nearby regions. A recent study by the University of Bonn and the Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais in Brazil reveals that measures aimed at reducing slash-and-burn practices lead to a notable decrease in airborne particulate matter, subsequently lowering hospital admissions and deaths related to respiratory diseases.

In 2019, approximately 70,000 square kilometers of the Amazon rainforest—an area comparable to the size of Bavaria—were lost to fires. While natural fires are uncommon in the Amazon’s humid environment, large-scale landowners and landgrabbers often resort to burning vast tracts to create pastures or agricultural fields. This deforestation not only destroys habitats and accelerates climate change but also produces smoke that triggers respiratory and cardiovascular illnesses.

Yannic Damm, a researcher at the University of Bonn’s Institute for Food and Resource Economics (ILR), along with colleagues Dr. Nicolas Gerber and Prof. Dr. Britaldo Soares-Filho, investigated the impact of forest protection measures on public health. They focused on three initiatives implemented between 2006 and 2010 within the Amazon biome, including the Soy Moratorium, where major trading companies agreed to cease purchasing soy from newly deforested areas. These measures led to a measurable reduction in deforestation pressure.

The researchers compared municipalities along the biome border with adjacent regions outside the protected area to assess the health effects of these conservation efforts. They found that after 2006, the concentration of fine particulate matter in the air decreased across all studied regions, with a nearly 7% greater reduction within the protected municipalities. This decline corresponded with fewer hospital treatments and deaths due to respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. For the approximately four million residents in these areas, the study estimates that around 680 lives were saved annually due to improved air quality.

Prof. Dr. Jan Börner of the ILR emphasised the dual benefits of rainforest conservation: “Namely, firstly, that the destruction of the rainforest can be successfully curbed. And, secondly, that this benefits not only the diversity of species and the global climate but also very specifically and very quickly the local population.”

This research underscores the immediate and tangible health advantages of forest protection, highlighting the importance of integrating environmental and public health policies.

Yannic Damm, Jan Börner, Nicolas Gerber, Britaldo Soares-Filho. Health benefits of reduced deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon. Communications Earth & Environment, 2024; 5 (1) DOI: 10.1038/s43247-024-01840-7

ENDS

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Read more about deforestation and ecocide in the Amazon Rainforest