From: Cool Earth
The impact which a new road through the endangered Amazon rainforest may have on the environment is causing concern among some conservationists.
Environmental impact of rainforest road is highlighted
Eventually, the new Interoceanic Highway South will link Brazil's Atlantic cost with Peru and is aimed at helping to increase and aid trade between the two nations.However, concerns are being raised over the impact on the rainforest that part of the road goes through and the level of deforestation required to complete the track.
Writing for NPR, Lourdes Garcia-Navarro noted the highway - which is set to cost around 1.3 billion dollars - will "bring goods, work and other opportunities to those living in Peru's remote Andean communities".
However, speaking to the source, former secretary of the interior under former president Bill Clinton, Bruce Babbit, pointed out the effect of another highway in the 1970s.
He said that an "unintentional consequence" of the new road led to exploitation of the area by ranchers and loggers, "leading to almost unchecked deforestation".