After three years of declining deforestation rates, Brazilian authorities announced that logging rates in the Amazon have increased between two to three times since last year. Incra, the Brazilian government’s land reform agency, now faces criminal charges for allegedly handing over rain forest to logging companies and creating fake settlements to avoid environmental regulations.

Photo: Paulo Santos/Reuters

The Amazon represents more than half of the planet’s remaining rainforest, and serves a vital role of absorbing carbon from the atmosphere.   Deforestation of the rainforest not only contributes to climate change, but leads to significant losses of biodiversity and threatens indigenous tribes, some of which have not had contact with the outside world.

takepart by helping the World Wildlife Fund protect the rainforest and keep an eye on Brazil’s proposed plan to end deforestation by 2015.

Related:

Inconvenient Truth of the Day

Amazon Rainforest Deforestation is Rising for First Time in Three Years

De-Forestation: Less Eco-Friendly Than You’

Cowboys to the Rainforest Rescue