UNITED NATIONS, Sep 20 (IPS) – This year has been the worst for the Amazon rainforest in almost two decades. While there has been a measured decrease in deforestation compared to 2023, wildfires have devastated hectares of critical ecosystems. In the first eight months of this year, the Amazon has seen routine wildfires, with a total of more than 53,000 recorded cases.
According to the Rainforest Foundation US, wildfires have burned through more than 13.4 million acres of the Amazon so far this year, which is roughly the size of Costa Rica or Denmark. Additionally, according to Amazon Watch, wildfires in the Amazon in previous years were limited to just the Brazilian and Bolivian regions. In 2024, those fires have spread to the Peruvian regions, something that has never been seen before.
The recent fires are partly a result of the El Niño drought, which has reduced the annual rainfall in the Amazon. They are also a result of climate change and human exploitation, which spell trouble for the planet if left unchecked.
“The combined effects of climate change, forest degradation and increased forest fires could result in60 percent “The Amazon rainforest will disappear by 2050,” according to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
The Amazon is crucial to the overall health of the planet for a multitude of reasons. First, it is one of the largest carbon sinks in the world, second only to the Earth’s oceans. According to Greenpeace International, the Amazon absorbs nearly 90 to 140 billion tons of greenhouse gases from the atmosphere. Without the Amazon, global warming would be significantly increased.
Dr. Elena Shevliakova, a scientist at Princeton University, estimates that if the Amazon were to completely burn, Brazil and eight neighboring sovereignties would become “virtually uninhabitable.” Shevliakova adds that the planet would see a 25 percent decrease in rainfall and a 4.5°C increase in global temperatures.
Regions bordering the Amazon are already feeling the effects of the fires. Figures from IQAir indicate that air quality in Manaus, the capital of Brazil’s Amazonas state, has reached unhealthy levels. Natalia Gil, an expert in atmospheric sciences and member of the Air Quality and Emissions Department at Uruguay’s Technological Laboratory, also noted an increase in particulate matter in the air of neighboring countries.
Furthermore, the Amazon is one of the most biodiverse ecosystems on the planet, home to more than 10 percent of all plant and animal species on Earth. Its loss would have disastrous consequences for the world’s ecosystems, as food chains would be severely disrupted, leading to widespread food insecurity. In addition, plant species with significant medicinal uses would become extinct, putting the entire human population at risk. The U.S. National Cancer Institute estimates that 70 percent of all plants integral to cancer medicine come from the Amazon.
The livelihoods of several indigenous communities depend on the ecological health of the Amazon rainforest. According to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), approximately 40 million people live in the forest, including 2.2 million indigenous peoples. According to the Amazon Conservation Association, “More than 400 tribes, each with its own culture, language and territory, still live in largely traditional ways and rely on these forests for their survival… Local people rely on Amazonian forests for daily needs such as food, water, fiber and traditional medicines.”
For the overall well-being of the environment and humanity, it is essential that efforts are made to reduce the impact of human practices. UNEP is currently launching initiatives that focus on sustainable practices, biodiversity conservation and support for indigenous communities.
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© Inter Press Service (2024) — All rights reservedOriginal source: Inter Press Service
