Amazon's Green Gold: Crime and Greed Fuel Forest Loss

Earth's largest rainforest faces unprecedented threats.

Criminal Groups and Illegal Activities

• Armed factions
• Drug traffickers
• Illegal miners

These groups exploit the Amazon's vast and remote areas, often beyond the reach of law enforcement.

Illegal Gold Mining

• Over 4,000 illegal mining sites in 2025
• Venezuela hosts a third of these sites

Environmental Damage:

• Pollutes waterways with mercury
• Destroys rivers
• Encroaches on Indigenous lands, displacing communities

Other Contributors to Deforestation

• Coca cultivation
• Illegal logging

These activities are often linked to criminal networks operating in a gray area between legal and illegal activities.

The Amazon's Vital Role

• Spans nine countries, with Brazil having the largest share.
• Acts as a vital carbon sink, helping to regulate the global climate.

If deforestation continues at this rate:

• The Amazon could become a net source of emissions.
• This would have dire consequences for the planet.

Positive Developments

• Brazil and Colombia have seen reductions in deforestation rates.
• However, these gains are partial and fragile.

The Amazon's Fate

• A story of crime, greed, and the struggle for power.
• A tale of how human activities are reshaping the planet's largest rainforest.

The question remains: Can we change course before it's too late?