Environmental Intel Post The Amazon rainforest, which absorbs approximately 2 billion tons of CO2 annually, has shifted from a carbon sink to a potential carbon source in certain regions due to deforestation exceeding 17% of its original extent. Since 1970, roughly 890,000 square kilometers have been cleared—an area larger than Texas—driven primarily by cattle ranching (80% of deforestation) and agricultural expansion. Scientists estimate the forest has a critical tipping point at 20-25% deforestation; current trajectory suggests reaching this threshold within 15-20 years, triggering potential dieback that would release centuries of stored carbon and destabilize global climate patterns. This matters because Amazon collapse would accelerate warming feedback loops affecting precipitation systems across multiple continents, making Paris Agreement climate targets significantly harder to achieve regardless of emissions cuts elsewhere.