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World Report View

[Monthly event]Amazon[Can you live without air]

by zohaib umer | 30-09-2019 00:25 recommendations 0

Over the last month, there has been chaos in the refined world generally and in the environmental community notably with only slogan echoing in streets and offices, " save Amazon, Save life".From huge backlash on the Brazilian government to G7 summit are all pieces of unsolved Amazon Puzzle. Environmental organizations, NGOs,and INPE have brought this issue to the globe and have stressed about the significance of this problem and up shots. Before exploring the roots and political conspiracies behind these fires let us examine how vital this problem is and how important is the Amazon rainforest to the world.

Significance:

1: Amazonia commonly called Amazon rainforest is a gigantic rainforest located on tropics covering almost 5.5 million square kilo meters. It is expanded across nine nations while almost 60 percent cover is in the boundaries of Brazil where almost all sparks have been spotted.

2: 20 percent of the world oxygen is presumed to be produced in Amazon rainforest So they contribute a lot in sustaining a stabilized environment. They are the natural lungs of our planet.100 years of CO2 can be absorbed my Amazon leaving room for more. It can absorb 2 billion tons of CO2 which is total Russian CO2 emission. It has 150-200 billion tons of carbon holding capacity. without them, carbon would diffuse if air and surge global warming in an instant.

3: One of the leading contributions that Amazon funds is climate stabilizer through its rainy pattern. Thousand years of forestation have made the soil enriched with minerals and nutrients as leaching is next to nothing. Photosynthesis is high and water evaporation is maximum since plants evaporate 90 percent of what they absorb. That is why satellite images show forest made vapour clouds above it.Brazil is far from the equator so it has a distinct rainy pattern. Rain causes more rain in the region hence the temperature remains in control. Even the countries thousand miles away from Amazon rely on the forest made clouds transpired in their agricultural GDP areas.

 

4: Amazon is dwelling to world biodiversity. one out of every tenth species calls Amazon it's home. It has the greatest collection of species as 40 thousand plant species, 2.5 million insect species, 13000 birds species,400 animal species, and 31 million people directly inhabit the Amazon forest. Almost 1 new species is discovered daily in Amazon and it serves the biggest hotspot for flora and fauna as well.

 Causes:

Now the two questions that have provoked this global turmoil are ;

  • Why is Amazon burning?
  • Why is Amazon being burned?

To return these questions let us talk about the nature of forest fires. forest fires are of three types generally.

u  natural,non-intentional

u  non-natural, non-intentional

u  non-natural, intentional

Seldom lightning can spark the fire and it can spread to unintended spots. the second case might be the intentional burning of forest to clear the patches for farming, agriculture, and ranching cattle.sometimes they spread to unintended areas and tipping occurs on a grand scale. Burning the forest is a common seasonal practice observed by local ranchers in dry season every year. It involves cutting, chopping, drying and ultimately blazing.

 

If this is the normal seasonal practice, then why 2019 is different? why so much chaos now?

 

To explain this cause lets rewind the clock a few years . Brazil is and has been considered as a biodiversity hotspot and environmental hub. In the early 2000's Brazil had done a lot to conserve Amazon and its environmental laws to deter illegal deforestation.2002 was acknowledged for Brazil as lowest deforestation year. over the years political priorities started to change. Jair Bolsonaro the 38th president of Brazil criticized the environmental laws as an impediment toward development. In his 2018 election campaign, he had said that environmental laws suffocate a country's economy. Recently he sacked the director of INPE Richardo Galavo in controversy over satellite images showing a surge in deforestation. He not only denied the findings or data but is most likely to cut government spending in environmental institutions e.g INPE. According to INPE, which was formed in 2004, there is an 88 percent increase in deforestation compared to its last year 2018. 77000 flames gave been caught by NASA this year only.28 thousand sparks were set this month.

 

1-Bolsonaro's words, a green signal to farming and logging mafia, sparked reinforcement.local farmers set ablaze the forest to clear lands for agriculture, it is estimated that three football field size patches are being cleared every minute.so amazon is not burning it is being burned.

Aside from direct encouragement from the president words, there are few more market-oriented causes of forest fires.

2-    Jair-Bolsonaro's blame to foreign NGOs for Amazon filed fires gave safe heaven to farmers and ranchers. A significant fire increase has been seen all along the road BR 163  are farmers were deliberately setting the forest in flames.

3- the second main reason for fire-deforestation is economic lust of farmers and wood lobby. High demand for wood and beef in the European market is persuading them to clear lands for agriculture and ranching. Years of nutrient-rich soil has made it thriving for cultivation promising a healthy output. meat production and industry is growing in Brazil.

The underlying misconception of Brazil about Amazon:

President thinks that any intervention from the outside lobby and environmental organizations is a threat to their sovereignty. its up to him to do what he wants to do to make economic progress possible even at the cost of the environment. Bolsonaro believes that environmental laws are halting economic maturity. It's more like putting economic growth on an opportunity-cost graph against Amazon forest scale. The government also feels that environmental organizations might try to manipulate the Amazon to their own benefits.

 

Effects:

 

Deforestation covers both short term and torn term effects, following are the few prominent changes that are occurring because of deforestation.

 

1: Burning of forests in contributing CO in air and CO2 absorption is reducing.so level of carbon in the atmosphere is increasing. It will increase global warming in a short time scale.15 percent of Amazon forest has been cleared already. Scientists believe another 10 percent increase might bring the climate order to collapse. If we lose the weapon we have against climate change, the ecocidal rage will fall upon the whole world.

 

2: Rise of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere will ultimately increase carbon in seas and hence acidity will increase. In such cases, marine will life suffers a lot and mass die-off is likely to happen.

3: The main impact will be on agricultural industry.because of deforestation erosion occurs and nutrients wash off from the soil surface. Global drought occurs and lands become bare to support any vegetation unless a constant supply of fertilizer is available.

4: The recent impact of forest fires was seen in Sau Paulo miles away from fires when day changed into the night because of heavy smoke coming from Brazil fires. It is just the beginning. The rainy pattern will get upset and less rain is likely to fall next year.so dry season will prolong and more fires will occur if not addressed.

5: Medicine industry will suffer a lot.almost 25 percent of medicines are extracted from the Amazon forest.

6: Dozens of uncontacted Amazon tribes are also facing the threat of mass extinction. These tribes rely completely on Amazon for their livings. If such fires continue, they will be forced to migrate or even extinction might occur.

7: According to AFP Bolivia's forest fires have left more than two million animals dead.500 Jaguars have been spoted dead.Animals are key to keeping ecosystem ,they inhabit,functional.

8: According to WHO smoke from fires have increased respiratory diseases in areas bordering Amazon.Amazon fires are a form of genocide.


Solutions:

Solutions to the problem cover three fonts.

  • world politics
  • Local farmers
  • World public community

 

¨ª  The world leader should continue supporting the environmental cause. Great progress has been seen in such affairs as international leaders are portraying this issue as a global threat and an issue of science. Because science never follows states or sovereignty. Direct involvement of G7 leaders has brought this issue to solution as President Macron called for the G7 summit.

" Our house is burning"

he continued, "members of G7 summit let us discuss the emergency first order in two days"

¨ª  Global pressure is also forcing Brazil to quick response against fires as Finish Finance minister quoted," EU and Finland are urgently exploring the possibility of banning the import of Brazilian beef".Since extra demand for beef is directly related to farming and agriculture.

 

¨ª  $20 million package was approved in G7 summit which Jair Bolsonarto initially rejected that Brazil will only accept an offer of international aid to fight Amazon fires if French leader Emmanuel Macron retracts comments that he finds offensive. $12 million from Britain and $11 million from Canada has also been approved apart from G7 fundings. Excessive and calculated use of water boomers can mitigate fires to some extent. 44 thousands troops have been deployed to counter the fires.Brazil has declared emergency in the state.

 

¨ª  The second solution is more for native in nature. People living in Amazon are the direct cause as well as the direct victim of Amazon fires. Healthy incentives should be provided to make their living standard better for the greater cause. Because most farmers living in Amazon or even struggling for necessities.

    According to Brazil environmental minister landowners have legal right to deforest certain patches but illegal miners and ranchers are bribing the officials to get mass deforestation.Land owners should be provided incentives if they contribute to lower the deforestation.

 

The third solution involves world public.

  • minimize the meat consumption.discourage the meat industry as it is directly related to deforestation
  • reduce paper and wood consumption.
  • donate your savings to ;

   RAIN FOREST ACTION NETWORK

RAIN FOREST TRUST 

WWFN 

AMAZON WATCH

   AMAZON CONSERVATION TEAM

  • Ecosia.org is a search engine that plants a tree for every 45 searches you run. 
  • Sign Greenpeace's petition to save the Amazon rainforest and protect the lands of indigenous and traditional communities. 

 

 

Forest fires data since 1999 Amazon fires along the road

no image

  • Dormant user zohaib umer
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6 Comments

  • zohaib umer says :
    Thanks, Prakriti
    Posted 03-10-2019 20:47

Prakriti  Ghimire

  • Prakriti Ghimire says :
    Thanks for such an wonderful piece of writing.
    Keep writing and shining.
    Posted 02-10-2019 14:12

  • zohaib umer says :
    Thanks, Meena.
    Posted 30-09-2019 22:19

Meena Pandey

  • Meena Pandey says :
    Hello Zohaib,
    I hope you are fine and doing great.

    Thank you for such an informative article.
    Keep writing and shining.

    Warm regards,
    Meena Pandey

    GREEN CHEERS.
    Posted 30-09-2019 16:51

  • zohaib umer says :
    thanks, Arjun
    Posted 30-09-2019 02:18

  • Arjun Anand says :
    Hi Zohaib,
    Thank you for the detailed and informative article. Your solutions for this global issue is well written. Wish to see more articles from you,
    Regards,
    Arjun Anand
    Posted 30-09-2019 01:28

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