Governments are gathering to talk about the Amazon rainforest. Why is it so important to protect?

By FABIANO MAISONNAVE and DAVID BILLER
Associated Press

BELEM, Brazil (AP) — Representatives of eight South American governments are gathering in Brazil this week to talk about the Amazon rainforest. A major goal of the two-day summit that starts Tuesday in Belem is how to tackle the immense challenges of protecting an area that’s critical to the world staving off the worst effects of climate change. Degradation of the Amazon also affects the many Indigenous peoples living in a massive area that’s twice the size of India. Deforestation is the most serious threat, spurred in part by expanding cattle ranching and agriculture to feed global demand. Mining and oil drilling also take a toll.