The Caatinga had 1,921 km² of its area deforested in the period 2008-2009, according to the Centre for Remote Sensing of IBAMA. This indicates that the pace of deforestation has decreased in the biome. While from 2002 to 2008 the annual average was 0.28% of deforested area, in 2008-2009 the annual rate was 0.23%.
The original area of the Caatinga is 826,411 km². The biome occupies 11% of the country and is present in the states of Bahia, Ceará, Piauí, Pernambuco, Paraíba, Maranhão, Alagoas, Sergipe, Rio Grande do Norte and Minas Gerais. The states that deforest more were: Bahia (638 km²), Ceará (440 km²) and Piauí (408 km²).
The only exclusively Brazilian biome, the Caatinga is greatly influenced by climate change, and has areas susceptible to desertification. A major cause of deforestation in the Caatinga is the illegal logging of native forests to be converted into firewood and charcoal.
The Ministry of the Environment and CAIXA [Caixa Econômica Federal] will allocate R$ 6 million in projects that promote the sustainable use of the Caatinga's natural resources.
The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) considers the sustainable use of forests as one of the best ways to prevent desertification and to ensure a dignified life for the population of semi-arid and arid regions. The sustainable use of forests is the theme of World Day to Combat Desertification, celebrated today (June 17).
Brazil commemorates the date launching the book FNMA - 21 anos fomentando a vida. The publication tells the history of the National Environment Fund (Fundo Nacional do Meio Ambiente, in Portuguese), the Brazilian oldest social and environmental fund.
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