Amazon ‘savannization’ would cost Brazil US$184 billion, says World Bank

The devastation of the Amazon would cause losses of R$ 920 (US$184) billion to Brazil by 2050, says the World Bank’s Climate and Development Report.

The study presented on Thursday (4) says that the damage will come if the forest reaches a point of “savannization” with no return.

There is disagreement among scientists who study the Amazon about how much-advanced deforestation would be necessary to reach this point.

The study shows that Brazil is one of the countries that could benefit most from green economy investments. Many actions coincide with the search for greater efficiency.

“Accelerating the path to becoming a high-income country is basically about pursuing higher productivity,” said Stephane Hallegate, co-author of the study.

Of the countries analyzed by the World Bank so far, Brazil would need to invest the least by 2030 to meet targets of zero carbon output by 2050. It would require 0.8% of its GDP in the period.

This is the equivalent of R$ 502 billion.

The study shows that the benefits of the energy transition would exceed the costs. But it would be necessary to finance this efficiently. “The challenge is bringing this to the smaller companies,” said Hallegate.

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