Every year during August and September, Brazil’s Amazon rainforests witness devastating fires igniting because of illegal deforestation. This year’s fire was the worst August fire in 12 years. Brazil’s national space institute satellite sensors detected 33,116 fires aflame in the Amazon.
This year’s fire in August surpasses the devastating fires of August 2019. Coverage of the August 2019 fire shook the world and received criticism from European leaders. President of Brazil, Bolsonaro, recently took the office and turned environmental enforcement on its head.
Previously, Bolsonaro soft-pedalled the raging fires. He continues to do the same and states criticism is part of an effort to undermine the nation’s agribusiness sector. He also says, “Brazil does not deserve to be attacked this way” while campaigning for reelection.
On August 22, he told a media network it was the worst single day for fire outbreaks in 15 years.
Why is Brazil’s Amazon fire a cause of concern?
Fires in the Amazon rainforest are set deliberately to improve cattle pastures. In addition, it is practised to burn recently cut trees once they are dry. As a result of illegal deforestation activities in the Amazon, fires are burning out of control and spreading across the forest.
According to reports, 20% of the burned area in the Amazon resulted due to deforestation. In addition, nearly 40 square kilometres got destroyed by the fire in just a few weeks.
Brazil’s half of greenhouse gas emissions result from carbon pollution that comes from land conversion. As Brazil fails to restrain these emissions, it raises a cause of concern. Brazil’s Amazon rainforests play a key role in absorbing carbon from the planet.
However, when the rainforests are aflame, the timber releases carbon into the atmosphere. In addition, the carbon released from the burning contributes to already excessive quantities.
Amazon rainforests are home to a million species of plants and animals. Losing the Amazon rainforests to constantly raging wildfires may potentially disrupt the ecosystem and its diversity.
Earlier this year, during the COP26 Climate Summit, the Bolsonaro government assured to stop illegal deforestation by 2028. On the contrary, forest loss has spiked to a 15-year high in his tenure.
