The Amazon, the world's largest rainforest, plays a strategic role in the environmental stability of the planet. Besides hosting some of the greatest biodiversity on the planet, it influences the rainfall patterns in a large part of South America, stores billions of tonnes of carbon, and supports the traditional lifestyles of millions of people. However, in recent decades, pressures such as deforestation, environmental degradation and climate change have threatened these vital ecosystem services, i.e. the benefits that nature provides to humanity.  

Understanding the true significance of the Amazon — and the actions required to protect it — is essential to ensure its conservation and the global benefits it delivers.  

7 Amazon biodiversity facts​

Below are seven important facts that highlight the critical role of Amazonian biodiversity and why protecting it is essential for people and the planet.

1. The importance of the Amazon rainforest for the Earth  

The Amazon, the world's largest rainforest, is important not only for its unique beauty and biodiversity but also for providing ecosystem services essential to tackling global climate challenges. It plays a pivotal role in the global carbon cycle, storing billions of tonnes of carbon in its vegetation and soils, which represents about 20% of the carbon captured by all terrestrial vegetation on the planet.  

Additionally, the Amazon influences the global climate through evapotranspiration, a process that releases water vapor into the atmosphere, helping to form clouds and precipitation. This moisture impacts weather patterns in many regions, including areas far from the rainforest.  

The region is also home to at least 10% of the world’s known species, making it a vital hub for global conservation. This rich biodiversity supports essential functions such as pollination, pest and disease control, nutrient cycling and soil fertility maintenance. Amazonian species are valuable sources for medical, pharmaceutical and agricultural research, demonstrating the importance of biodiversity for food security and global human health.  

2. Amount of species across the biome

The Amazon is home to one of the planet’s richest arrays of biodiversity, with estimates suggesting that there are around 30 million animal species, including microorganisms and species that have not yet been identified. “The Amazon stands out as one of the world’s richest natural regions in terms of species diversity, thanks to its unique features, such as having the largest river basin and being the largest unbroken stretch of tropical forest on Earth,” explained Carlos Durigan, geographer and researcher at the Amazon Environmental Research Institute (IPAM).  

Among the emblematic and endangered species of the region are:  

• Jaguar: the largest feline in the Americas, whose population faces risks due to habitat loss and hunting

• Amazonian manatee: an aquatic mammal threatened by river degradation

• Pied tamarin: a primate endemic to the Manaus region, classified as critically endangered

• Brazilian mahogany and Brazil nut tree: flora species that are threatened by logging and habitat loss

3. Trees standing

Keeping the forest standing is crucial not only for its environmental services, but also for the preservation of traditional lifestyles and knowledge of local populations. Around 30 million people live in Brazil's Legal Amazon, including Indigenous peoples, traditional communities and riverine populations, whose cultures are directly tied to a healthy, conserved forest.  

According to Valcléia Lima, superintendent of Community Sustainable Development at the Sustainable Amazon Foundation (FAS), strategies to keep the forest standing must take into account all forms of life within the forest, including human life. “Prioritizing the people who live in the biome contributes to ensuring the coexistence of species for future generations, and this is essential.”

The appreciation of the preserved Amazon drives the development of the bioeconomy, a sector that generates income from natural products such as fruits, seeds and essential oils. According to a study by WRI, an organization dedicated to sustainability research in Brazil, the bioeconomy currently contributes R$12 billion to the GDP. The organization further states that, with increased investment, this figure could rise to at least R$38.6 billion by 2050, with the creation of 833,000 new jobs to would replace those currently associated with deforestation.

Keeping the Amazon rainforest standing also ensures essential ecosystem services, including water regulation, climate stabilization and biodiversity protection, all of which are crucial for environmental and economic stability at both regional and global levels. Therefore, taking action against deforestation is important to protect natural resources that generate benefits for society as a whole.  

4. Deforestation rates

‍According to MapBiomas, in 2024 the Amazon recorded the smallest deforested area since the Annual Deforestation Report (RAD) began tracking in 2019. In 2024, 377,708 hectares were lost to deforestation, representing 30.4% of Brazil’s total native vegetation loss for the year. The daily average deforestation in the Amazon biome reached 1,035 hectares in 2024, which is approximately seven trees felled every second.  

Even though there has been a downward trend, agricultural expansion remains the main driver of forest loss, and 99% of the land cleared by mining in Brazil is located in the Amazon. According to Valcléia Lima, from FAS, deforestation forces many species to leave their habitats and results in significant losses for traditional communities.  

"Many plants are used for disease prevention and are part of the cultural practices of traditional populations, from herbal baths to traditional teas. A vast body of traditional knowledge is affected when significant deforestation occurs. Terrestrial life is impacted as a whole – animals, plants and people," she added.

5. Climate function

The Amazon rainforest plays a vital role in regulating the global climate through two main mechanisms: absorbing carbon dioxide and maintaining the water cycle. As one of the largest carbon sinks on the planet, the Amazon captures large amounts of CO₂ from the atmosphere, helping to prevent the planet's temperature from rising.  

Additionally, the forest acts as a "water pump," releasing water vapor through evapotranspiration, a process that creates so-called "flying rivers," humid air streams that carry rain to several South American regions, including Brazil's Midwest, Southeast and South. This system not only supports local biodiversity but is also vital for agriculture and water supply in distant areas.  

6. Amount of carbon stored

The Amazon is estimated to store between 90 and 140 billion tonnes of carbon in its vegetation and soils, according to WWF. However, recent studies show that in some parts of the Amazon, human-driven degradation has turned the Amazon from a carbon absorber into a source of carbon emissions. Between 2003 and 2019, an estimated 44% of carbon emissions in the Brazilian Amazon were linked to forest degradation and other disturbances, while 56% were due to deforestation.

7. What’s being done to protect Amazon biodiversity?

According to Carlos Durigan, from IPAM, Brazil has a significant social and environmental agenda, driving actions aimed at preserving its natural resources. This agenda involves both public administration and civil society, working together to counteract destructive processes in the Amazon.  

To him, the creation and management of Conservation Units, the recognition of Indigenous Lands, Quilombola Territories and areas of sustainable family-based agroextractive production are important actions that ensure the proper use of public lands in the region. “From there, it becomes possible to develop economic and productive models rooted in sustainability, strengthening rights and promoting the bioeconomy, the sustainable use of the forest, ecological restoration and environmental education,” he added.

In the corporate sphere, companies have begun to monitor their supply chains with a focus on social and environmental responsibility. Suzano, a leading pulp producer, for instance, has pledged to connect 500,000 hectares of forest fragments by 2030 by creating ecological corridors across the Amazon, Cerrado, and Atlantic Forest biomes. This initiative, in collaboration with civil society and government stakeholders, aims to support biodiversity conservation by restoring native vegetation areas.

The population also plays a crucial role in this process. Choosing products from sustainable sources, supporting traditional communities, and fostering businesses that value natural  resources are all effective ways to contribute.  

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Conclusion  

The Amazon is a vital ecosystem for climate stability, biodiversity conservation, and the livelihood of millions of people. Preserving the rainforest is more than an environmental imperative; it is an opportunity to foster sustainable economic systems that respect local communities. Protecting the Amazon requires joint efforts from policymakers, businesses and individuals, all guided by scientific research, social justice and a recognition of the forest’s intrinsic worth.

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