Amazonia
Project of the Week: Protecting the rain forest in Brazil
The Amazonian rainforest, known as the "world's lung," is hurtling towards destruction.
Soya farms, infrastructure projects and new settlements are encroaching on the forest.
Almost half of Brazil's greenhouse gases can be traced back to deforestation.
That's why there are plans to designate large parts of the rain forest as specially protected zones.
The initiative comes from the residents themselves, who have commited to protecting the "Verde para Sempre" region.
(Published by DW - World – June 17, 2010)