Critical Thinking Paper

Young-Bin Lee

Green Group

April 2017

The United Nations must impose sanctions to limit deforestation and help in efforts to

save rainforests in the world because they act as a vital habitat to many species, regulate the
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Earths climate, and hold the key to curing many diseases. Each day, approximately 80,000 acres

of the rainforests are being destroyed (Green, Why the Rainforests Destruction Should Be

Prohibited). For every tree that is cut and burnt, out future for a better environment slowly dies

out. Homes of animals, possible cures for the diseased, and the climate are all being affected

negatively. Humans try to help the environment, but the harm that they cause overtakes their

efforts to restore. Because their efforts and movements are not enough, the United Nations must

work to sanction the destruction of rainforests in the world through to limit deforestation, restore

the environment, and secure a better future for them and their descendents.

Since 1978, over 289,000 square miles of the Amazon rainforest have been destroyed

(Butler, Amazon Destruction). For a while in the past, deforestation in the Amazon was due to

farmers who cut down trees to produce crops. Later in the 20th century, an increasing proportion

of deforestation was driven by industrial activities and large-scale agriculture. By the 2000s,

more than three-quarters of forest clearing in the Amazon was for cattle-ranching. Large areas of

the rainforest were destroyed for cattle pasture and soy farms, dug up for minerals, drowned for

dams, and bulldozed for towns and colonization projects. At the same time, a rapid growth in the

number of roads opened previously inaccessible forests to settlement by poor farmers, loggers,

and speculators. Humans searching for work of economical value should find work somewhere

else that does not harm to economy, or help the economy in reparations for what they did.

The amount of deforestation done per year lowered drastically in Brazil since 2004. Since

then, the rate of deforestation declined by roughly eighty percent. This has been due to increased

law enforcement, satellite monitoring, pressure from environmentalists, private and public sector

initiatives, and new protected areas(McCarthy, 6 Ways Brazil Is Saving the Amazon). On the

other hand, deforestation had not decreased in countries such as Peru, but rose in deforestation

since 2000. Many tries to conserve the rainforest have failed, as seen by the accelerated rate of

deforestation. In many areas, closing off forests as untouchable parks and reserves hasnt worked

due to its failure to generate enough motivation for respecting and maintaining the forest.

Compared to the years of damage that was done by humans to the environment, the amount of
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time they have worked to save the environment is little. They must continue their work to secure

their future and the future of their descendents.

The rainforest covers 6% of Earths surface, yet is home to 50% of the worlds species.

As the deforestation continues to chop down the homes of these species, the animals gradually

lose their habitats and progressively go extinct. The complication here is that humans have not

discovered all of the species in the rainforest, some of which might go extinct when humans

havent even seen or studied them for possible assistance to mankind. The rainforest provides

shelters and canopies that regulates the temperature for its inhabitants which is necessary for

survival. Its removal through deforestation would allow a more drastic temperature variation

from day to night, much like a desert, which could prove fatal for current inhabitants (Effects of

Deforestation). Many species that are not yet discovered could die out if we continue

deforestation at for many years after. The U.N. should impose sanctions to confirm the safety of

these animals and stability of their habitats.

The extent of the problem due to deforestation of the rainforests is huge. If the problems

keep continuing, they would change human lives forever. The biggest factor of the rainforest is

how they help regulate the climate of the world by storing over half the rainwater on Earth, and

release it back to the atmosphere in forms of mists and clouds. Without the rainforests continuing

this cycle, droughts will become more common, and could lead to widespread famine and

disease (Rainforest Concern). Trees also absorb the carbon dioxide that humans exhale, and

provide the oxygen they need to breathe. When rainforest trees are burnt, as they usually are

during deforestation, they release carbon dioxide, which pollutes the atmosphere and contributes

to global warming. Deforestation is currently considered one of the major drivers of climate

change, responsible for 18-25% of global annual carbon dioxide emissions (Rainforest Concern).

Deforestation affects the environment in ways that are too high a cost to justify the destruction of

rainforests.

More than 25 percent of the humans modern medicines originate from rainforests, but

they have only learned how to use 1 percent of the plants growing in the tropical rainforests
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(Global Citizen). Weve already received so much from this one percent of the rainforest,

including ingredients for the cure of malaria and effective birth controls. Chemical structures of

forest organisms also provide blueprints for certain medicines. One example could be the aspirin,

whose blueprint originated from extracts of willow trees found in the rainforest. Rainforest plants

also assist in research. Some plants help scientists understand how cancer cells grow, while

others are test subjects for potentially harmful food and drug products (Rainforest Medicine -

Healing Medicines From The Amazon). This makes the possibilities of what the other 99 percent

could do unimaginable. Destroying the rainforests that hold the cure to many diseases is a waste

of their resources and answers to problems man-made chemicals could not solve.

The problems caused by deforestation are extensive, so the UN must sanction to help

solve the crisis. The UN has the power to pose sanctions on deforestation, limiting the amount of

deforestation caused and what should be done to help restore the rainforests in the path of the

damage. Awareness of this critical situation has gone up over the years. In 2008, all European

Union Nations agreed to sanction serious environmental abuse, and the U.S. can impose trade

sanction against countries that interfere with multilateral efforts under the Pelly Amendment,

which authorize[s] the President to embargo wildlife products whenever the Secretary of the

Interior or the Secretary of Commerce certifies that nationals of a foreign country are engaging

in trade or taking that diminishes the effectiveness of an international program in force with

respect to the United States for the conservation of endangered or threatened species

(DebateWise). However, the United Nations, a bigger group of countries, could do something

more. They can impose sanctions to limit trade on byproducts of rainforest destruction. People

economically view trees as more useful as resources to be cut down than alive and helping the

environment. Creating sanctions would create less incentives to destroy rainforests in order to

gain money, making profiters look for other ways to profit. Of course, there would be side effects

of this action such as short-term economic disadvantages, but the benefits far outweigh the risks.

For instance, farming would be greatly influenced in a positive way after the sanctions. One of

the many causes in farming failures that are man-made is the brown cloud. The brown cloud is
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an environmental disaster caused by airborne particles and pollutants, which affects the farming

industry negatively by blocking out sunlight and weakening crops (Perkins). Rainforests can help

prevent brown clouds by filtering the air and thus helping agriculture. Furthermore, politics and

the environment can go hand in hand. Countries that use rainforests to develop are, in a sense,

going against the rest of the world which is trying to conserve the environment. If countries that

deforest for profit are to preserve the rainforests and give up some benefits that may come from

deforestation, they would be on better terms with the countries trying to preserve and held with

higher regard within international society (DebateWise). The UN putting sanction on

deforestation could help the world in many different perspectives, overpowering the possible

negative sides of putting a brake on deforestation.

The United Nations can also do many other things that doesnt include sanctions. In

1989, a petition was presented to the United Nations Secretary General Javier Perez de Cuellar at

the UN Headquarters in New York, calling for urgent steps to be taken to stop deforestation. The

"Emergency Call to Action" was drawn up by the World Rainforest Movement, a global network

of rainforest organisations. One of their propositions was to empower the people who live in

forests, to raise more awareness and to give them a more decisive voice in the government of

their areas. It was also to recognize the natives land rights and to end policies assuming the

superiority of the non-forest peoples (The Rainforest Information Centre). Another way was to

save the rainforest by replanting and re-nourishing the land under the direction of the natives to

make sure things were getting done efficiently and correctly. The World Rainforest Movement

thought just saving the forest through replanting wasnt enough. They also added a policy to

have immediate revisions of the policies of the agencies that fund these deforestation projects so

that the money is instead given to projects that protect or regenerate forests. Specific agencies

were named in the proposition, such as the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, the U.N.

Food and Agriculture Organization, the UN Development Programme, more overseas agencies of

developed countries and major international corporations. Another proposition out of the many

were sustainable livelihoods. The goal of this plan was to initiate a worldwide shift to develop
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sustainable livelihoods through reducing the amount production, which also would maximise

local self-sufficiency (The Rainforest Information Centre). The UN could stop deforestation

through many ways besides imposing sanctions, yet they have never responded to this petition

and continue to let the deforestation go on.

Deforestation occurs everyday, harming the earths environment step by step. The

changes are gradual but certain. Earths future is in danger. Natural disasters are caused every

day by the deforestation, putting many lives in danger as every year passes without action.

Draughts are everywhere, and pollution is common. Still the United Nations, whose efforts have

not caused a drastic change in the discontinuance of deforestation, has not imposed sanctions and

has ignored the propositions and petitions signed by thousands of people. Demand that United

Nations to place sanctions on these rainforest to save our Earth. After all, what do we have but to

gain?

Work Cited

"7 Reasons to Save the Rainforest." Global Citizen. Web. Feb. 2017. https://www.globalcitizen

.org/en/content/7-reasons-to-save-the-rainforest/

Gives reader 7 reasons as to why we should put in our efforts to join the

rainforest. Not very specific but gives more reasons to argue to the preservation of

rainforests.

Butler, Rhett. "Amazon Destruction." Mongabay.com. 23 Jan. 2016. Web. Feb. 2017.

http://rainforests.mongabay.com/amazon/amazon_destruction.html
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Detailed information on the destruction of the rainforests for the past few decades.

Data is included in the website. Proves how some countries failed to halt

deforestation but also how other have succeeded.

Butler, Rhett. "How To Save Tropical Rainforests." Mongabay. 22 July 2012. Web. Feb. 2017.

http://rainforests.mongabay.com/1001.htm

Offers solutions on how to solve the problem of deforestation and how people

from the past had tried to stop deforestation. In addition, describes the reasons and

forced behind the deforestation (may be useful in opposite argument essay). Tells

us who we need in order to support the halt of deforestation, and also how the

restoration and funding happens.

Butler, Rhett. "Rainforests Reduce Erosion." Mongabay. Web. Feb. 2017. http://kids.mongabay

.com/elementary/405.html

Detailed information on how rainforests effect/prevent erosion. Short article.

"Effects of Deforestation" Pachamama Alliance. 2017. Web. May 2017. https://www.pachamama

.org/effects-of-deforestation

Information on how deforestation affects everything in close relation. Relatively

well detailed and very useful as it covers many topics.

Green, Emily. "Why the Rainforests Destruction Should Be Prohibited?" PrivateWriting. Insight

Innovations LLC, 31 Mar. 2017. Web. Feb. 2017. https://www.privatewriting.com/blog/

rainforests-destruction

Not very detailed but goes over basic reasons as to why the rainforest must be

preserved such as oxygen, medicines, ecosystem, and homes to

indigenous people. Also says why deforestation is happening and how to stop it.

McCarthy, Orion. "6 Ways Brazil Is Saving the Amazon." Conserve. 08 Oct. 2016. Web. Feb.
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2017. https://howtoconserve.org/2015/09/04/saving-the-amazon/

Detailed information on how Brazil has helped to stop deforestation complete

with graphs. Long article, includes one to two paragraphs per each reason. Tells

us how we can help in the end.

Perkins, Sid. "'Asian Brown Cloud' Threatens U.S." Science | AAAS. 25 May 2012. Web. Apr.

2017. http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2012/05/asian-brown-cloud-threatens-us

Detailed information on what the brown cloud is and how it affects the US.

Starts off with reasons and parts responsible for the pollution. Goes on about the

science of the brown cloud and the effects it can have on earth.

"Rainforest Medicine - Healing Medicines From The Amazon" Adventure Life. 2017. Web.

May 2017. http://www.adventure-life.com/amazon/articles/medicinal-treasures-of-the-

rainforest

Provides very useful information on rainforest plants, such as what they are used

for and why they should be protected.

"Solutions to Rainforest Destruction." The Rainforest Information Centre. Web. 29 Mar. 2017.

http://www.rainforestinfo.org.au/background/solution.

Information on what the United Nations can do to help stop deforestation, but also

has information about realistic solutions and conventional solutions to

deforestation.

"The UN Should Impose Sanctions on Countries That Destroy Their Rainforests." DebateWise.

Web. Apr. 2017. http://debatewise.org/debates/1050-the-un-should-impose-sanctions-on-

countries- that- destroy-their-rainforests/

Debates about whether the United Nations should or should not pose sanctions on

deforestation. Whether it would be helpful or cause more damage. Explores many

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reasons on both sides. The Yes side focuses more on the environment while the

No side focuses more on the economy. Useful for argumentative paper against.

"Why Are Rainforests Important." Rainforest Concern. Rainforest Concern. Web. Feb. 2017.

http://www.rainforestconcern.org/rainforest_facts/why_are_rainforests_important/

List reason as to why the rainforests are important to us and our environment. Has

one to two paragraphs for each reason, with sufficient amount of detail.