Acting as the planet’s air conditioner, the rainforest sucks up millions of tons of greenhouse gases and stores them safely out of the atmosphere. South America's deforestation threatens to unleash a kind of “carbon bomb” that will add to our already deteriorating climate difficulties. As he travels across Peru and Brazil, recognized South America expert Nikolas Kozloff talks to locals, scientists and activists about the rainforest and what should be done to avert its collapse. Drawing on his expertise of South American politics, Kozloff argues that cooperation between the world's countries is essential in turning back the tide of climate change and that the fate of the planet depends on our response to environmental problems within the southern hemisphere.
Author(s): Nikolas Kozloff
Year: 2010
Language: English
Pages: 256
Contents......Page 6
Acknowledgments......Page 8
Introduction......Page 12
CHAPTER ONE: The Global North Fails to Act......Page 18
CHAPTER TWO: Living in an Age of Extremes......Page 40
CHAPTER THREE: Carbon Conundrum......Page 60
CHAPTER FOUR: Cattle and the "Carbon Bomb"......Page 82
CHAPTER FIVE: Soy Is King......Page 106
CHAPTER SIX: Deforestation Dilemma......Page 134
CHAPTER SEVEN: The "Clean Energy" Trap......Page 156
EPILOGUE: Food and Farmers in an Era of Climatic Uncertainty......Page 186
Conclusion......Page 204
Notes......Page 214
A......Page 246
C......Page 247
F......Page 249
G......Page 250
I......Page 251
M......Page 252
P......Page 253
S......Page 254
U......Page 255
Z......Page 256
