Does anyone benefit from the destruction of the amazon tropical rainforest?

Answer 1

Yes, the farmers who clear-cut the forest gain fertile land to grow crops to sell and earn an income from. However, the soil loses nutrients rapidly in this system so after a couple years the farmer has to move on to a new patch of land.

Also, the logging companies that harvest standing timber from the forest earn a profit from selling the lumbar. They often employ local citizens who then have a steady income to support their families.

The challenge is that both of the above benefits are limited to a select group (the farmers and the logging companies) while the large-scale destruction of the rainforest is beginning to affect climate around the world. However, in those local communities farming or logging may be the only way for the local population to make a living and support their families.