Avaaz The biggest reserve in the world - Amazon

The Amazon rainforest is a place of awe-inspiring beauty, matched only in its majesty by its fragility. Threats from loggers, ranchers and climate change are slowly killing off the forest -- but an ambitious plan to create the world’s biggest environmental reserve could turn the tide against this senseless destruction.
 
Colombia has just backed a proposal to protect an area of the Amazon twice the size of France, but unless Brazil and Venezuela get on board, the plan won’t work. If we build a giant call to save the Amazon, and combine it with polls in each of the key countries we can give Colombia’s president the mandate he needs to persuade them to sign up before the next UN climate summit.

This couldn’t matter more. The Amazon is home to one in ten of Earth's species, produces 20% of the world’s oxygen, and plays a key role in mitigating climate change. Experts say this reserve could be a game-changer, but it's going to need all of us to make it happen! Sign the petition now, when we reach 1 million signers, indigenous leaders will deliver the petition and polls directly to the three governments:

https://secure.avaaz.org/en/amazon_corridor_v2_rt/?bOUfzbb&v=56101

The fate of the Amazon rainforest is dangling by a thread. After declining for a few years, deforestation rates started rising again last year, and shot up by 190% in August and September, compared to the same period in 2013. Current laws and enforcement strategies are failing to stop the loggers, miners and ranchers. The best way to regenerate the forest is by creating large reserves, and this ecological corridor would go a long way to help save our Earth’s fragile lung.
Some say reserves hold back economic development, others say they are implemented without consulting the indigenous communities. But those behind this proposal have committed to full engagement and collaboration with the indigenous tribes. And 80% of the territory in this plan is already protected and indigenous territory. All that this ground-breaking proposal really requires is regional coordination and enforcement!

Indigenous peoples and activists have lost their lives protesting to stop the devastation of the Amazon's ecology and their home. If we now unleash our massive global community led by Avaaz members in Latin America, we have a unique power to get these leaders to agree to this reserve of hope. Sign now -- let's give these leaders huge public support for this Amazon initiative.

https://secure.avaaz.org/en/amazon_corridor_v2_rt/?bOUfzbb&v=56101

Together, we are planting our seeds to help look after the whole world.

With hope and determination,
Alice, Bert, Ana Sofía, Oscar, Marigona, Joseph and the entire Avaaz team

More Information:

Colombia proposes world's largest eco-corridor with Brazil, Venezuela (Business Standard) http://www.business-standard.com/article/news-ians/colombia-proposes-world-s-largest-eco-corridor-wi...

Colombia seeks 'environmental corridor' across Andes, Amazon (Phys.org)
http://phys.org/news/2015-02-colombia-environmental-corridor-andes-amazon.html

What next? Brazil’s deforestation soared by 290% in September 2014 (REDD Monitor) http://www.redd-monitor.org/2014/10/31/what-next-brazils-deforestation-soared-by-290-in-september-20...

Amazon deforestation soars after a decade of stability (New Scientist) http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn27056-amazon-deforestation-soars-after-a-decade-of-stability.h...

Colombia wants to achieve "zero deforestation" in the Amazon by 2020 (EFE)
http://www.efeverde.com/noticias/colombia-promueve-deforestacion-cero-amazonia/

The Amazon will no longer be the world's lung, according to report (Eco Portal)
http://www.ecoportal.net/Eco-Noticias/El-Amazonas-ya-no-sera-mas-el-pulmon-del-planeta-segun-un-estu...