Geography · KS3 Y8 · Resources & Environment

Deforestation: causes and costs

Deforestation: causes and costsFree9:22Heddy Score 3 of 7, below the standard
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What you need to know

  • From the 1970s Brazil built the Trans-Amazonian Highway and offered free land, and settlers cleared forest along it for cattle pasture.
  • Rising world demand for meat raised demand for soya animal feed; soy farms took over pasture and pushed ranchers deeper into the forest.
  • From 2004 protected areas, indigenous lands, a stronger Forest Code, enforcement by IBAMA and the soy and beef moratoriums cut deforestation sharply.
  • When protections were weakened from 2012, and especially after 2019, clearance and deliberate fires rose again.
  • Scientists warn that losing 20-25% of the forest could tip it into collapse, releasing huge amounts of carbon dioxide.

In this clip

Runs 9:22, from 1:47 to 11:09 of the full video.

Also coversDeforestation: rates, causes and impacts
Also coversManaging rainforests sustainably
Heddy Score3/7, Below the standard
See the seven stars
  • Trusted source · passed. The creator's own upload, live and playable here.
  • On the map · not judged yet. A teacher watched it: it mainly teaches this map topic.
  • Spec-true · not judged yet. Accurate, and right for the current UK specification.
  • Focused · passed. One idea, short enough to watch in one go.
  • Accessible · passed. Good captions, clear sound and pictures.
  • Safe for children · not judged yet. Right for 11 to 16 year olds, with no sales pitch.
  • Proven · not judged yet. Earned from our students: they learn from it, find it helpful and watch it to the end.
★ passed · ☆ pending · ✕ failed
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Our own students' answers. These are what move ★7 Proven.
On YouTube

3.05M views · 72.4K likes · Vox 12.7M subscribers

As reported by YouTube on 2026-11-02. Not part of the Heddy Score.
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Why we picked it

Shows clearly who profits from clearing the Amazon and how government choices can speed up or slow down deforestation.

Vox on YouTubechecked 2026-10-22

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