
International soybean markets are leading to the destruction of habitats of rare plants and animals in Brazil and putting species at risk, according to a new study. In addition to confirming that capitalism is truly the worst, the study provides a method for holding countries and companies accountable to zero deforestation policies.
Brazil’s Cerrado, a savanna that is home to 5% of the world’s plants and animals, has lost nearly half of its natural vegetation since the 1970s to cattle grazing and agricultural expansion. Now the world’s largest soybean producer and exporter, Brazil grows over half of its soybeans in the Cerrado.