Amazon Archives - State of the Planet

Indigenous South Americans Far More Likely to Die From Wildfire Smoke, Study Says

Smoke from wildfires is a health threat to everyone, but Indigenous people in South America are especially vulnerable due to a number of factors.

by |May 4, 2023

Human Activity Has Degraded More Than a Third of the Remaining Amazon Rain Forest

A new study finds that an area 10 times the size of the United Kingdom has been affected by some form of human disturbance, contributing to biodiversity loss and carbon emissions.

by |January 26, 2023

Declining Biodiversity in Wild Amazon Fisheries Threatens Human Diet

New research suggests that declines in wild fish species may compromise nutrition in an already poor region. Substituting cultivated species may not help.

by |May 28, 2021

La Pérdida de la Biodiversidad en las Pesquerías continentales de la Amazonía Amenaza la Dieta Humana

Una nueva investigación sugiere que una disminución de especies de peces silvestres puede comprometer la nutrición en una región que ya padece de inseguridad alimentaria. Es posible que la sustitución de especies cultivadas no ayude.

by |May 28, 2021

You Asked: How Destructive Are the Amazon Rainforest Fires? Can They Be Stopped?

An Earth Institute adjunct tackles reader questions about the record-breaking fires in Brazil.

by |August 26, 2019

New Project Will Tackle Amazonian Development Challenges From Space

The International Research Institute for Climate and Society is part of a new project that will use satellite imagery to address environment and development challenges across the Amazon Basin.

by |March 21, 2019
Map of Colombia’s mining operations

End of Colombia Conflict May Bring New Threats to Ecosystems

The end of a 52-year internal conflict could spell trouble for the second most biodiverse country in the world. A new study outlines a sustainable path forward.

by |September 12, 2018

Palm Oil in the Amazon: Threat or Opportunity?

Small migratory farming is responsible for 70% of the annual deforestation in Peru. Can palm oil address this problem and lead the change towards sustainable development in the Peruvian Amazon?

by |February 28, 2018

What Five Tech Companies Are Doing About Climate Change

Many experts agree that the climate pledges made at COP21 alone will not hold global temperatures below 2˚ C—we also need significant investment in energy technology innovation in order to meet the climate goals. What are the five big tech companies and their founders doing about climate change?

by |March 4, 2016

Seeing the Amazon’s Future Through the Fog

Scientists have developed a new approach to modeling the water and carbon cycles in the Amazon that could lead to better climate forecasts and improved water resource management.