How to save the Amazon: why the forest has more value standing than cut down

Abstract This paper discusses the importance of the Amazon to the global ecosystem, the reduction and the advance of deforestation of the forest in Brazilian territory, as well as the escalation of environmental crimes, with emphasis on illegal logging, land grabbing and unauthorized mining, including in indigenous lands. The text points to public policies that have been successful in containing the destruction of the forest and the setback they have suffered in recent times. In the final part, the article describes the forest exploitation models adopted so far, with their limited economic social results, and presents an alternative model, which combines the Fourth Industrial Revolution and forest bioeconomy. Finally, the paper also presents contributions that international agents can offer to the preservation of the forest, through financing (REDD+mechanisms), as well as conditionalities formulated by consumer and financing markets. Keywords: Amazon, deforestation, environmental crime, economic exploitation models, fourth industrial revolution, financing (REDD+).