Why Lula could push the Amazon past its tipping point

+ 'greening' Ramadan; Fed's interest rate dilemma US Edition - Today's top story: The Amazon is not safe under Brazil's new president – a roads plan could push it past its breaking point [View in browser]( US Edition | 22 March 2023 [The Conversation] [The Conversation]( Top headlines - [Cannabis use harmful to pregnant women and teens]( - [Using ‘Abbot Elementary’ to teach urban education]( - [What to discuss with partner before moving in – and even after]( Lead story When Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva was in office the first time, in the early 2000s, deforestation rates in the Amazon plunged. Today, deforestation rates are up again, and pushing the Amazon rainforest – a region vital to the global climate – toward a dangerous tipping point. Conservationists celebrated Lula’s election victory last year over his heavily pro-business predecessor, Jair Bolsonaro, but [Lula might not be the forest savior people are expecting]( this time around. University of Florida professor Robert Walker, who has studied the Amazon region for over 30 years, explains why. [[Sign up here to our topic-specific weekly emails.](] Stacy Morford Environment + Climate Editor Fires are often set to clear land near roads in the Amazon. Johannes Myburgh / AFP via Getty Images [The Amazon is not safe under Brazil’s new president – a roads plan could push it past its breaking point]( Robert T. Walker, University of Florida Nearly 95% of deforestation in the Amazon occurs within 3.5 miles of a road or near a river. Brazil’s plans to ramp up exports may be on a collision course with the forest. Ethics + Religion - [Calls for a ‘green’ Ramadan revive Islam’s long tradition of sustainability and care for the planet]( Noorzehra Zaidi, University of Maryland, Baltimore County Communal meals to break fast can mean lots of single-use plastics. A switch to environmentally friendly principles is in line with Islamic principles through the ages. Economy + Business - [Worst bank turmoil since 2008 means Federal Reserve is damned if it does and damned if it doesn’t in decision over interest rates]( Alexander Kurov, West Virginia University Big interest rate hikes could cause more market turmoil, while doing too little could have the same effect. - [Who keeps the engagement ring after a breakup? 2 law professors explain why you might want a pre-nup for your diamond]( Naomi Cahn, University of Virginia; Julia D. Mahoney, University of Virginia Just like the rest of us, celebrities take different approaches to deciding who gets the engagement ring when they get engaged but never tie the knot. Science + Technology - [Building better brain collaboration online – despite scientific squabbles, the decade-long Human Brain Project brought measurable success to neuroscience collaboration]( Lucy Xiaolu Wang, UMass Amherst; Ann-Christin Kreyer, Max Planck Institute for Innovation and Competition The European Union’s 10-year Human Brain Project is coming to a close. Whether this controversial 1 billion-euro project achieved its aims is unclear, but its online forum did foster collaboration. Education - [This course uses ‘Abbott Elementary’ to examine critical issues in urban education]( Sara Jones, Illinois State University An education professor explains how a hit TV show about a struggling school became a jumping-off point for a course about urban education. Health + Medicine - [Mounting research points to health harms from cannabis, THC and CBD use during pregnancy, adolescence and other periods of rapid development]( Hilary A. Marusak, Wayne State University Studies show that smoking marijuana during pregnancy can lead to premature birth, lower birth weight and psychological problems in the newborn. - [Moving in with your partner? Talking about these 3 things first can smooth the way, according to a couples therapist]( Kristina S. Brown, Adler University Discussing some key topics before – or even after – they move in together can help couples successfully navigate this step. Trending on site - [Secession is here: States, cities and the wealthy are already withdrawing from America]( - [Why does time change when traveling close to the speed of light? A physicist explains]( - [Voice deepfakes are calling – here’s what they are and how to avoid getting scammed]( Today's graphic [A chart showing the number of antisemetic tweets from May 31, 2022 to Feb. 9, 2023. A relatively flat level of antisemitic tweets more than tripled around the time Elon Musk took control of Twitter on Oct. 27, 2022.]( From the story, [Antisemitism on Twitter has more than doubled since Elon Musk took over the platform – new research]( - - More of The Conversation Like this newsletter? You might be interested in our weekly and biweekly emails: • [Weekly Highlights]( • [Science Editors' Picks]( • [This Week in Religion]( • [Politics Weekly]( • [Global Perspectives]( • [Global Economy & Business]( Trying out new social media? Follow us: • [Mastodon]( • [Post.news]( • [Instagram]( • [LinkedIn]( - - About The Conversation We're a nonprofit news organization dedicated to [helping academic experts share ideas with the public](. We can give away our articles thanks to the help of foundations, universities and readers like you. [Donate now to support research-based journalism]( [The Conversation]( You’re receiving this newsletter from [The Conversation]( 303 Wyman Street, Suite 300 Waltham, MA 02451 [Forward to a friend]( • [Unsubscribe](