Deforestation in the Amazon increased by nearly a third over the past year, according to Brazilian government figures released on Thursday. This huge rise is blamed on relaxation of environment laws.<br /><br />The Amazon rainforest is considered one of the world’s most important natural defences against global warming because of its capacity to absorb huge amounts of carbon dioxide. <br /><br />At a news conference on in the capital Brasilia, Environment Minister Izabella Teixeira called the increased rate of deforestation “unacceptable” if it’s tied to illegal activity.
