Amazon rainforest stands at critical crossroads as conservation gains battle rising threats

After five decades studying the Amazon rainforest, renowned ethnobotanist Mark Plotkin offers a nuanced perspective on the region’s future that defies simple optimism or pessimism. Co-founder of the Amazon Conservation Team, Plotkin argues that the Amazon’s story is one of coexisting progress and peril—a reality that demands accurate assessment rather than emotional reactions.

The transformation has been remarkable. When Plotkin first arrived in the 1970s, the Amazon barely registered global attention and was often dismissed as a “green hell.” Pioneering scientists like Richard Schultes, Tom Lovejoy, and E.O. Wilson helped reframe the forest as a crucial biodiversity storehouse, while Indigenous leaders and activists such as Payakan and Chico Mendes brought political momentum. This shift culminated at the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, marking peak international focus on Amazon conservation.

Since then, the region has experienced dramatic swings. Brazil’s deforestation rates have fluctuated wildly—soaring in the late 20th century, plummeting in the early 2000s, rising again after 2019, and falling once more in 2023. Similar patterns now affect Bolivia, Colombia, and Peru. Yet significant victories exist: millions of hectares now enjoy protection, and Indigenous territories consistently show lower deforestation rates.

However, serious challenges persist. Criminal networks have expanded operations in mining, logging, and land grabbing, while mercury contamination, violence, and corruption undermine local governance. Climate disruption has altered rainfall patterns, creating dangerous feedback loops. As Plotkin emphasizes, the climate fight may not be won in the Amazon, but it certainly can be lost there.