12. In order to expand agriculture and stimulate a sagging economy, the Brazilian government eased environmental laws which allowed large tracts of rainforest to be cut down or burned. In three to five sentences, construct a potential chain of consequences for what can happen as a result of this kind of deforestation. The chain does not have to be linear (i.e., five steps in a row), but can have several branches, one for each different potential consequence. Your chain should include at least four steps, including the original event.

Answer 1

1. The large-scale deforestation in Brazil destroys important ecosystems, leading to loss of biodiversity and potential extinction of plant and animal species.
2. With the destruction of rainforests, there is a decrease in carbon sequestration, resulting in increased greenhouse gas emissions and contributing to climate change.
3. Deforestation also disrupts local water cycles, leading to soil erosion, loss of fertile land, and increased risk of flooding and landslides.
4. The clearing of land for agriculture can lead to conflicts with indigenous communities who rely on the rainforest for their livelihoods, potentially resulting in human rights violations and social unrest.