Chapter
The Importance of the Amazon Rainforest and its "Flying Rivers"
12:20 - 26:46 (14:26)
The Amazon Rainforest's "flying rivers" recycle the forest's own moisture, generating up to 45% of its total precipitation. Deforestation could weaken these flying rivers, making it impossible to achieve the goals outlined in the Paris Agreement and accelerating climate change.
Clips
Flying rivers, or rain clouds that recycle the forest's own moisture, generate as much as 45% of the Amazon rainforest's total precipitation.
12:20 - 19:16 (06:56)
Summary
Flying rivers, or rain clouds that recycle the forest's own moisture, generate as much as 45% of the Amazon rainforest's total precipitation. If deforestation reaches 20 to 25% of the original area, the flying rivers will weaken enough that a rainforest simply will not be able to survive in most of the Amazon basin.
ChapterThe Importance of the Amazon Rainforest and its "Flying Rivers"
EpisodeThe Sunday Read: ‘Has the Amazon Reached Its “Tipping Point”?’
PodcastThe Daily
Despite storing 120 billion tons of carbon, the transformation of the Amazon rainforest may make the Paris climate agreement impossible to achieve, according to ecologist Stephen Piccola.
19:16 - 26:46 (07:30)
Summary
Despite storing 120 billion tons of carbon, the transformation of the Amazon rainforest may make the Paris climate agreement impossible to achieve, according to ecologist Stephen Piccola. While researching, a scientist visits the Tapajós National Forest to learn about the rainforest's mysterious emissions and the predicted transformation of the region.