From: Cool Earth
The rate of rainforest deforestation in the Amazon has slowed, new figures from the Brazilian government have shown.
According to figures based on satellite imagery taken by the National Space Research Institute, 154 square miles of Amazon rainforest was cleared in September.This is a third less than the level of deforestation seen in the same month in 2008, said environment minister Carlos Minc.
Deforestation in the Amazon rainforest is mainly caused by the work of those who run cattle ranches - who clear large areas to accommodate their cattle - as well as farmers and loggers.
This causes huge levels of carbon to be released into the atmosphere.
According to figures published by Monga Bay, almost 150,000 square kilometres of Amazon rainforest was lost between May 2000 and August 2006, which the site noted is an area bigger than the land mass of Greece.
Furthermore, since 1970, another 232,000 square miles have been cleared.