UNITED NATIONS, Sept 20 (IPS) – This year has been the worst year for the Amazon rainforest in nearly two decades. While deforestation has decreased measurably compared to 2023, wildfires have destroyed acres of vital ecosystems. In the first eight months of the year, the Amazon has experienced routine wildfires, with more than 53,000 recorded cases.
According to the Rainforest Foundation US, so far this year, 13.4 million acres of the Amazon have been burned by wildfires, roughly the size of Costa Rica or Denmark. And according to Amazon Watch, the fires in the Amazon have been confined to Brazil and Bolivia for the past few years. In 2024, the fires spread to Peru, something we have never seen before.
The recent fires are partly a result of the El Niño drought, which has reduced annual rainfall in the Amazon. They are also a result of climate change and human exploitation, and they are a warning that if left unchecked, this could be a problem for the planet.
The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) says that “the combined impacts of climate change, deforestation and increased wildfires could result in the loss of up to 60 percent of the Amazon rainforest by 2050.”
The Amazon is important to the overall health of the planet for several reasons. First, the Amazon is one of the world’s largest carbon sinks, second only to the Earth’s oceans. According to Greenpeace International, the Amazon absorbs between 90 billion and 140 billion tons of greenhouse gases from the atmosphere. Without the Amazon, the greenhouse effect would be significantly worse.
Dr. Elena Shevlyakova, a scientist at Princeton University, estimates that if the Amazon were to burn completely, Brazil and eight surrounding sovereign states would become “virtually uninhabitable.” She added that the planet would see a 25 percent decrease in rainfall and a 4.5°C increase in global temperatures.
Areas bordering the Amazon are already seeing the negative impacts of the fires. According to IQAir figures, air quality in Manaus, the capital of the Brazilian state of Amazonas, has reached unhealthy levels. Natalia Gil, an air science expert and member of the air quality and emissions department at the Uruguayan Institute of Technology, has observed an increase in fine particulate matter found in the air of neighboring countries.
The Amazon is also one of the most biologically diverse ecosystems on Earth, supporting more than 10% of the planet’s plant and animal species. Losing it would severely disrupt the food chain, have devastating effects on global ecosystems, and lead to widespread food insecurity. Furthermore, significant medicinal plant species would become extinct, putting entire populations at risk. The National Cancer Institute estimates that 70% of all plants essential to cancer treatment come from the Amazon.
The livelihoods of many indigenous communities depend on the ecological health of the Amazon rainforest. According to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), about 40 million people live in the forest, of which 2.2 million are indigenous. According to the Amazon Conservation Society, “More than 400 tribes, each with their own culture, language, and territory, continue to live largely in traditional ways, relying on the forest for their survival… Local people depend on the Amazon forest for everyday needs such as food, water, fiber, and traditional medicine.”
Efforts to mitigate the impacts of human practices are essential for the overall well-being of the environment and humankind. UNEP is currently launching initiatives that focus on sustainable practices, biodiversity conservation, and support for indigenous communities.
IPS UN Secretariat Report
Follow @IPSNewsUNBureau
Follow IPS News UN Bureau on Instagram
© Inter Press Service (2024) — All rights reservedOriginal Source: Inter Press Service
