There is much debate over whether deforestation in the Amazon Rainforest, a controversial topic should be haulyed or to be allowed to expand. On one hand, some argue that deforestation in the Amazon Rainforest causes many local and global problems. Those with this perspective, believe that deforestation in the Amazon Rainforest causes habitat loss and is a link to global warming. On the other hand, however, others argue that deforestation in the Amazon Rainforest ensures jobs and economic prosperity. Although there are some benefits to deforestation in the Amazon, the drawbacks are far greater and have a greater impact on the local community and the world.         The Amazon Rainforest is the largest rainforest in the world. It stretches across multiple countries which include Brazil, Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia, Venezuela, and Colombia. Prior to the 1970’s, the Amazon Rainforest covered approximately 2,123,565 square miles. But as demand grew for the natural resources in the forest, deforestation accelerated to keep up with the exponentially growing human population. As stated by Mcgrath and Nepstad “17 % of the Amazon forest has been lost in the last 50 years”(Mcgrath & Nepstad, 2017, pg.57). This means that approximately 361,006 square miles of forest coverage has been been cleared in the last 50 years and that number is still increasing to this very day. The main use of the deforested lands is the cattle ranching which is approximated to makeup 80% of the land used while the other 20% is primarily used for agriculture. With the depleted forest coverage, locals are unable to to benefit from the services that ecosystems provide. This leads to increased poverty and can force people to leave their lands to find an area that can sustain them. This is the same case to native species of the Amazon Rainforest. These fragmented environments are affected in species structure and composition. This in turn causes them to be more vulnerable to droughts and fires. The changes made to the Amazon’s landscape can negatively affect a wide variety of animal species. Thus lead to the species populations to deplete, and eventually become extinct. The environmental effects are not just felt by the animals of the Amazon. From a global standpoint, the forest’s’ ability to absorb carbon dioxide is reduced. At the same time, there is an increased amount of CO2 released from the burning trees. This then causes many global problems like ocean waters warming and can lead to many natural disasters. Overall, deforestation in the Amazon Rainforest has caused many problems in the past years and will only cause more problems if action is not taken.         The main purpose of deforestation in the Amazon Rainforest is to help increase the local and global economy. The land used from deforestation is put to use in a variety of ways. The primary use of it is used for agriculture which includes crops and livestock. The land is also is used for industry and growth of cities by creating jobs. These jobs range from construction, mining, smelting, and mill works. Although this does contribute to the ever growing demand of the human population and helps improve the global economy, there are significant cons that need to be dealt with in order for deforestation in the Amazon to be deemed uncontroversial.Deforestation in the Amazon Rainforest has been a controversial topic for a number of years and continues to be one. Many argue that the act should be stopped but others argue it should be allowed to expand. On one hand, environmental conservationists argue that deforestation in the Amazon Rainforest causes many local and global problems and it should be regulated or stopped completely. On the other hand, however, others argue that deforestation in the Amazon Rainforest will only enable economic growth. Although both sides have valid arguments, the cons far outway the pros and action must be taken in order settle this controversial topic.