SNIP
There is no doubt that the Amazon jungle is being cleared for farming.
You can see it in the satellite photographs. and since they are fairly
recent, then that gives you an idea of the speed and severity of that
problem. However, their effect on the CO2 levels is included in the
measurements, obviously.

The problem with the clearing of the jungles is not really the amount
of CO2 produced - it is that the trees are no longer there to remove
CO2.

Cheers, Alastair.

It always amazes me how deforestation seems to take such a back seat
in the AGW debate. You would think this is a part of the problem it
would be easiest to deal with. If we are not able to control the rise
in CO2 emissions (and that certainly appears to be the case) then
removing a major sink down which it goes seems particularly crazy.
It's a bit like blocking the drains during a thunderstorm.

It's not just the Amazon, the situation is arguably worse in
Indonesia. The Guiness book of records says Indonesia holds the record
for the fatest rate of deforestation. Of the 44 countries which
collectively account for 90 percent of the world's forests, the
country which pursues the highest annual rate of desforestation is
Indonesia with 1.8 million hectares (4.4 million acres) of forest
destroyed each year between 2000-2005. Indonesia has lost 72 percent
of its intact ancient forests.

Graham
Penzance