In brief: The Amazon is more than a collection of trees. The vast forest and river system stores carbon, moves water across the continent, supports exceptional biodiversity and is home to Indigenous and local communities.
A forest system of continental importance
The Amazon Basin extends across several South American countries. Tropical forests, seasonally flooded areas, savannas and rivers form a complex mosaic. Changes therefore cannot be described by a single number or one particular fire year.
The rainforest is often called the “lungs of the Earth”. The image is memorable but biologically oversimplified: the forest produces oxygen while also consuming a large share of it through respiration and decomposition. Its global importance lies especially in carbon storage, water transport, cooling and biodiversity.
Water, clouds and climate
Trees take up water through their roots and release it back into the atmosphere through their leaves. This evapotranspiration contributes to cloud formation and rainfall patterns far beyond the forest. Large-scale deforestation can alter these cycles and intensify dry seasons.
At the same time, soils and biomass store large quantities of carbon. When forests are cleared or burned, some is released and future uptake capacity decreases.
Biodiversity and knowledge
The Amazon is home to countless species of plants, animals, fungi and microorganisms, many of which are only partly described scientifically. Diversity is more than a list of rare species: it stabilises food webs, pollination, soil formation and adaptability.
Indigenous Peoples and local communities have extensive knowledge of landscapes, plants and sustainable use. Conservation policy is therefore also a matter of land rights, safety and participation in decisions.
Why forest is lost
- Expansion of livestock farming and agriculture
- Illegal or unsustainable logging
- Mining, roads and infrastructure
- Land conflicts and weak law enforcement
- Fires that often follow land conversion
Fire figures fluctuate from year to year and should always be given with the period, measurement method and source. An old news figure is not a permanently valid description of conditions.
What effective protection needs
Important elements include secure protected areas and land rights, transparent supply chains, control of illegal activities, restoration of degraded areas and economic prospects without further clearing. International demand and national policy interact in this process.
Conclusion
The Amazon rainforest is highly important for climate, water, nature and people. Responsible reporting separates long-term relationships from current figures and does not relegate affected communities to a footnote.
Source basis: IPCC, FAO, scientific forest and climate research, and official monitoring data from Amazonian countries. Editorial status: August 2026.
