Amazon fires off to record start in 2024

Context

Brazil’s Amazon Rainforest, the world’s largest tropical rainforest, is facing an unprecedented crisis. The region has experienced its largest blazes on record in the first four months of 2024, with over 12,000 square kilometres (4,633 square miles) of the rainforest burned. 

Causes of the Fires

Hawaiian fires in the Amazon are anthropogenic and they are started by people for purposes such as land clearance for agriculture. Currently, the Amazon has passed through the worst drought in its history due to the effects of the El Nino climate phenomenon combined with global warming, which has influenced the dry conditions that have increased fires this year. Currently, the climate change has made it hard to find water due to the following reasons; high temperatures and irregular rainfall.

Impact of the Fires

Fires in the Amazon Rainforest are a huge problem as they affect the environment and society. The Amazon plays a critical role towards the mitigation of further disastrous levels of global warming due to the significant intake of greenhouse gases by the forest. Not only, the fires, of course, emit vast reservoirs of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere but also eliminate forest’s ability to sequester carbon. These fires are destructive to indigenous peoples and their ability to support themselves; the fires are also dangerous to the fauna and flora of that area.

Response to the Crisis

Criticism has since been levelled against the Brazilian government in terms of how it has responded to the calamity. The leading environmental workers union asserted that the government is responsible for the record breaking start to the fire season because they have slashed the firefighting budget by 24%. The Brazilian government has also been criticised for inactivity in preventing the fires, as agents of Obama, the environmental enforcement agency, conducted no field work in the year starting from January, following contract negotiations with the federal government over wages and working conditions.

Efforts to Prevent Future Fires

Measures that can prevent ignitions, educate the community and government workers and lit fires in strategic areas in order to minimise the impact of fire, rely on hiring staff with stable illnesses. This is why the government should realise that if environmental workers do not give their utmost commitment and cooperation for the society, the scenario that was predicted for this year is an extreme disaster. The only funds that are available to fight fires come from the Amazon Fund, financed by foreign countries, and to date this year has allocated 405 million reais ($79. 4 mln) for firefighting at the state level in the current government of Lula in 2023.

International Cooperation

Finally, it is worthy to note that the Amazon Rainforest is not solely a Brazilian treasure but a world’s asset hence its conservation can only be achieved with the support of the whole world. It should be noted that the international community has a very important role in protecting Amazonia and Brazil. This includes the provision of funds, equipment and other forms of support to achieve long term stewardship of the forest.

Source: The Hindu

UPSC Prelims Practice Question

Q. Which of the following statements about the Amazon rainforest is/are correct?

1. The Amazon rainforest is the largest tropical rainforest in the world.
2. The Amazon basin covers parts of nine countries.
3. The Amazon rainforest plays a crucial role in regulating the global carbon cycle.

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

a) 1 only              b) 2 and 3 only

c) 1 and 3 only    d) 1, 2, and 3

Ans – “d”

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