September 15, 2020

Brazilian biomes destruction beyond the Amazon

topic:	Natural disaster
located:	Brazil
editor:	Ellen Nemitz

Last year, the whole world watched the Amazon forest being burnt by several fires, most of them as a result of agricultural and cattle raising activities. The problem, which also heavily impacts other biomes, is even worse in 2020, despite the decree that prohibits fires for 120 days since July.

The New York Times has reported one of the biggest natural devastations over the past decades in Pantanal, one of the most diverse regions in the world, a sanctuary for animals such as the jaguar. "The enormous fires — often set by ranchers and farmers to clear land, but exacerbated by unusually dry conditions in recent weeks — have engulfed more than 10 per cent of the Brazilian wetlands, known as the Pantanal, exacting a toll scientists call ‘unprecedented’", they said. This was on September 4. Now, more than 15 per cent of the biome is gone. The Cerrado, in the central region of the country, known as the “water tank” due to its river sources, is also registering thousands of fire spots.

The situation on the front lines is heartbreaking. Day and night volunteers work to rescue animals and end the fires, but the extreme drought – as mentioned by the New York Times – and the lack of support from authorities are the real enemies. President Jair Bolsonaro laughed at the problem, and the Environmental Minister Ricardo Salles dropped the investment in fire fighting brigades, besides spreading fake news, a video of a golden lion tamarin, which lives in the Atlantic Forest, to affirm that the Amazon is not burning became viral.

In this context, salvation may rely on non-governmental organisations and the brave people living in these regions. It's also important to note that these kinds of institutions have been the target of numerous attacks: recently, President Bolsonaro said he could not “kill this cancer called NGOs.”

Internationally, the issue has gained the media's and even the actor Leonardo Di Caprio's attention, supported by the hashtag #DefundBolsonaro, a world campaign launched by the Articulation of Indigenous Peoples of Brazil. Also challenging people by asking: #AmazonOrBolsonaro and #WhichSideAreYouOn. In addition, organisations such as Global Witnessing are pledging to the European Union to stop buying products that are originated from unsustainable sources. “The European Union is responsible for 10% of global forest destruction through its consumption of commodities like meat, dairy, soy of animal feed, palm oil, coffee and cacao. The EU is also home to major financial institutions that invest in the harmful agribusiness who turn a blind eye to ecosystem destruction,” says the post about the petition on Instagram.

Climate change is currently responsible for a variety of tragic consequences. With the Paris Agreement in force to stop rising temperatures below 1.5 degrees Celsius, communities, NGOs, as well as the people concerned with and connected to nature struggle to protect what is left are battling against governments and powerful companies. If we are not able to think about our own survival, what could we expect when it comes to other living beings? As WWF summarised at the release of the Living Planet Report – which shows a 68 per cent drop in the population of animal population sizes since 1970: "it’s time to rebuild our relationship with nature." 

Image by Rodrigo Farhat

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