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one-eighth of the entire world’s fresh water and they supply giant “sky rivers” that transport
feeds an extensive river system that includes moisture and bring rain. Though measures were
the Amazon, the largest-volume river in the put in place to stem deforestation in 2008, it
world. had gone on unchecked up to that point. The
Nonetheless, Brazil too is mired in an cumulative damage has dried the sky rivers and
historic drought, with São Paulo’s reservoir led to drastically decreased precipitation.
system dangerously low and in need of months Thus, the drought has been at least
of heavy rainfall just to return to normal. Facing intensified, if not entirely caused, by humans’
this critical shortage, cities have begun offering careless disruption of a natural cycle. Ironically,
incentives for reduced consumption alongside and tragically, the drought that humans caused
even more drastic measures. The Guardian by disrupting that natural cycle has led to
reported in September 2014 that water a new cycle of destruction. Whereas Brazil
pressure in São Paulo dips by 75 percent at previously met more than 80 percent of its
night, and some districts of neighboring cities power needs with hydroelectric power, the
make running water accessible only one day of significant loss of water flow has forced a turn
every three. Water’s scarcity has led to increased to more expensive and harmful alternatives,
tension and competition among cities as well as including oil and other carbon-based fuels.
between business and individual interests. This has not only cost billions of dollars, it
According to a report published in late 2014, has also significantly increased the country’s
one of the main culprits behind this intense greenhouse gas emissions. Since greenhouse
drought is in fact the deforestation of Brazil’s gas emissions lead to global warming, and
rainforests. Scientists involved in the study found warmer temperatures exacerbate the effects of
that rainforests play a crucial role in absorbing drought, this new cycle is making the situation
carbon dioxide from the air while pulling water even more dire. In the absence of rapid and
upward through tree roots to the sky, where extensive reforestation, drought may become a
new normal for Brazil.

Clearly, drought can be
┗
both cause and effect,
and much depends on us.
┛

Photo courtesy of U.S. Geological Survey
1 8 TZU CHI USA SUMMER 2015