Why does the Amazon matter?

The Amazon is probably the most famous rainforest on Earth. It’s home to Indigenous communities, one of the world's biggest rivers and a diversity of plant and animal life found nowhere else. But it’s also a region rich in sought-after resources — gold, iron ore, bauxite, coffee and rubber — and vast areas of forest have been cleared for cattle and soy production. Scientists warn that deforestation and climate change are drying the region, fuelling fires, and risking a dangerous tipping point when the rainforest can no longer sustain itself and begins to release more carbon than it absorbs. This week, hosts Graihagh Jackson and Jordan Dunbar ask why we need the Amazon, what would happen if it disappeared, and what can still be done to protect it. They speak to a Brazilian ecologist who has spent two decades studying the forest and the fires that threaten it. Guest: Dr Erika Berenguer, Senior Research Associate, University of Oxford and Lancaster University Producers: Nik Sindle, Diane Richardson, Graihagh Jackson, Jordan Dunbar, Grace Braddock Sound Mix: Tom Brignell, Dave O'Neil Editor: Simon Watts Got a question? Email us: [email protected]