A new three-part podcast series, Missing in the Amazon, delves into the critical question journalist Dom Phillips was investigating before his murder: how can the Amazon rainforest be saved? The first episode, produced by the Guardian, examines the high stakes involved if action is not taken swiftly.
Global environment editor Jon Watts leads the series, exploring the Amazon's vital role in regulating South America's climate and its global significance. The episode highlights how the forest is approaching a dangerous tipping point, driven largely by decades of cattle ranching that have cleared vast areas.
Listeners are taken through the history of deforestation, with cattle ranching emerging as a dominant force that has transformed and destroyed large swathes of the rainforest. The series aims to shed light on potential solutions, building on the work Phillips was pursuing at the time of his death.
