[eloff]

It would seem to me that the Amazon is worth much more than that left intact. Australia's Great Barrier Reef contributes 6.5 billion to the local economy each year through tourism and fishing. The Amazon could potentially be worth much more in tourism value. Not to mention untapped value as a source for undiscovered pharmaceuticals. It also generates 75% of it's own rain - which is critical to the agriculture in the region as well as all these hydroelectric projects.

If greed ends up winning and most of the forest is destroyed, Brazil will find itself without a national treasure, and likely be economically worse off for it.