140 billion Tons of Stored Carbon
In the Amazon basin, studies estimate that forests contain 90-140 billion tons of carbon. For comparison, in 2019, it is estimated that global emissions equaled 43 billion tons of carbon dioxide, which means the Amazon stores more carbon than the world emits over several years.
Deforestation at 12-year high
The rate of deforestation in Brazil hit a twelve year-high in 2020 and scientists increasingly are concerned that the Amazon will degrade into a savannah within the next few decades. Deforestation in the Amazon would accelerate climate change and could lead to less rainfall across various regions around the world.