Brazil's Wildfires: A Threat to the Earths Lungs

 The Amazon rainforest is burning and the consequences of it are spreading not only around Brazil, but through the entire world. As the wildfires are tearing the heart of this ecosystem, everyone feels the impact. 

The Amazon rainforest, more commonly known as the lung of the Earth, is the largest tropical rainforest in the world, spanning over 6.7 million square kilometres, and it plays a significant role in absorbing carbon dioxide and regulating the climate. Unfortunately, in the past few years, Brazil has been experiencing a lot of wildfires, which are threatening our ecosystem. A recent survey by the Laboratory Environmental Satellite Applications shows that in the past 10 years, from 2014 to 2024, the scars from fires in the Amazon have covered an area larger than France. These enormous fires, most of them caused by humans, are causing a lot of environmental, economic, and social damage. 

The Environmental and Global Impact 

The destruction of the Amazon rainforest has far-reaching consequences. The Amazon is home to 10% of the world's species, and now many of them are at risk of extinction due to the fires. Moreover, as more forest is lost, the planet Earth is less able to absorb toxic carbon dioxide. The Amazon absorbs around 123 billion metric tonnes of carbon above and below ground (more than 12 times the total emissions from the world's energy system), and it releases 20 trillion litres of water into the atmosphere daily. So, if we keep destroying the forest, the Amazon will turn from a carbon sink to a carbon emitter, significantly contributing to global warming. These wildfires also destroy habitats and endanger the species that depend on the forest. 

Economic and Social Consequences 

The fires do not just affect the environment, they also harm the people that live there. There are over 2 million indigenous people living in the Amazon Forest, and a lot of these people are very endangered, as they rely on the forest to be able to live. So, since the wildfires have not stopped and have just increased, many are forced to abandon their homes and witness the destruction of their lands. And economically while some industries do benefit from these wildfires, the costs of destroying such an essential ecosystem could be enormous.  

What Can Be Done?  

To be able to stop this crisis, both local and global efforts are required. Brazil must strengthen their environmental protections and to implement laws to prevent further illegal deforestation. Internationally other countries can help by supporting eco-friendly land-use practices and reducing the request for products like soy and beef, because forests are cleared for cattle ranching and to grow soy, which is mostly used as animal food. This causes deforestation and increases carbon emissions in the Amazon forest. 

In conclusion, these wildfires raging across the Amazon Forest in Brazil are not just an internal issue, but also a global environmental crisis. Serious action is needed to protect this scathing ecosystem for the sake of the planet and our future generations. 

Sources:  

-"Fires surge in the Amazon, but deforestation continues to fall" Mongabay, 2024, https://news.mongabay.com/2024/03/fires-surge-in-the-amazon-but-deforestation-continues-to-fall/ 

-"Amazon On Fire: 2024 Sees Highest Numbers of Fires In 20 years" Rainforest Foundation US, 2024, https://rainforestfoundation.org/amazon-on-fire-2024-sees-highest-number-of-fires-in-20-years/ 

-"2020 Brazil rainforest wildfires" Wikipedia, 2020, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2020_Brazil_rainforest_wildfires 

- “10 fascinating Amazon Rainforest facts to inspire change” Greenpeace UK, 2022, https://www.greenpeace.org.uk/challenges/forests/amazon-rainforest/amazon-rainforest-facts/ 

-"top facts about the Amazon" WWF UK, 2023, https://www.wwf.org.uk/learn/fascinating-facts/amazon