Brasilia, Areas of Amazon rainforest with a combined area the size of England could be threatened by new mining and deforestation, a new report claims.

It is currently illegal to mine in these protected indigenous territories of the Amazon.

US and UK companies are among those who had applied to open new mines, the report says.

Protecting the Amazon is crucial in the fight to curb climate change because its enormous number of trees soak up carbon from the atmosphere.

Thousands of indigenous people who live in these areas are also threatened by new developments.

“We are looking at deforestation in some of the most pristine areas of the Amazon. It will be a tragedy if mining on indigenous lands goes ahead,” researcher Rosana Miranda, who wrote the report for NGO Amazon Watch.

“Are we willing to give up incredibly rich biodiversity and cultural diversity just to extract more gold and copper for international shareholders?” she added.

Amazon Watch and the Association of Indigenous Peoples of Brazil are identifying in real-time live applications to Brazil’s National Mining Agency to begin mining projects in protected areas. The latest figure is ,6applications.

In total, 570 companies have filed for permission to begin work in areas affecting 60 indigenous lands, covering 101,000 square kilometres (10.1 million ha). Almost half are for gold mining.

Mines run by global corporations in the Amazon have been associated with toxic spills, river pollution as well as the destruction of indigenous communities.

The report also claims that huge amounts of international finance is supporting mining companies, suggesting that shareholders around the world are involved in deforestation of the Amazon.

At the COP6 climate change summit in Glasgow last year, 141 countries including Brazil signed a declaration to stop and reverse deforestation by 030 and protect indigenous lands, BBC news reported.

Source: Oman News Agency