y let the star lead my wa

Attention to Hunks and Babes of 22/06:

This will be the official blog of TJC 22/06!

Do link to this blog unless you are not part of us :)

This blog will NO LONGER be our GP NEWSPAPER REVIEW blog so do visit the blog MORE THAN ONCE a week!

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Do pass me your blog address if you create one so that i can put up your link.

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Alvin for setting up the blog
And 22/06 for updating the blog :)

* Monday, August 20, 2007 *

PRESERVING AMAZON DOES NOT IMPEDE GROWTH: BRAZIL

Summary:
- BRAZIL'S recent success in slowing the pace of Amazon destruction shows that preserving the environment need not slow economic growth.
- 25 per cent drop in the rate of Amazon deforestation in the 12-month period that ended in July 2006 should improve Brazil's credibility abroad.
- The government expects data to show a further drop in the deforestation rate for the year that ended this July.
-The challenge that Brazil face is how to use the forest and environmental preservation to improve the lives of people.
- Amazon lost a total of 14,000 square kilometres of forest cover between August 2005 and July 2006, 25 per cent less than the same period the year before.
- Environmental officials expect deforestation to drop by about a third in the August 2006-July 2007 period, to about 9,600 square kilometres.
- Brazil's economy grew by 3.7 per cent last year.
- The drop largely to increased government enforcement of Brazil's strict environmental laws.
- The government has advanced in the fight against deforestation.
- but much of the reduction was due to a drop in the price of soybeans and the strengthening of Brazil's currency, making it less profitable to clear forest to grow the crop.
- Greenpeace noted that a rise in soy bean as well as beef prices was likely to fuel more deforestation this year and next.
- An upswing in Amazon burning since June seemed to support this trend.
- Another factor that could to drive deforestation in the Amazon is the growing international interest in biofuels such as ethanol, which in Brazil is made from sugarcane, and biodiesel made from grains, oily fruits and seeds.
- But the president denied demand for agriculture land always results in rain forest destruction.
- 'It is necessary to grow agriculturally without cutting down more than has already been cut down,' President Silva said.
- Brazil is home to the bulk of the world's largest remaining tropical wilderness, the Amazon, which covers about 4.1 million square kilometres, about 20 per cent of which has been cut down.

My response:
- good example to show that even developing countries like Brazil is putting in more effort in environmental conservation despite the need to grow economically.
- a contrast to China which refused to set binding targets for greenhouse gas emissions, emphasising that it was down to the world's major industrialised nations to take the lead.
- more significantly for a country that still relies on coal for 70% of its energy requirements, Beijing INSISTED that economic development must remain higher on its priority list than environmental protection.
- Climate change is an environmental issue, but also a development issue. The international community should respect the developing countries' right to develop.
- the 2 examples here clearly tell us the contrasting ideas that exists among developing nations regarding environmental issues.
- for more information on economic growth VS environmental protection, refer to the markers' report for jct2007.

on a side note, i just want to say that there are alot of different recent examples that we can relate from China, so probably knowing more China related issues would be very useful to our compo and AQ.

:D QIANHUI

22/06 Forever!
11:02 PM