Amazon Fires

GS-III: Amazon Fires

Context

Over the last several days, the ‘lungs of the Earth’ Amazon rainforest have been burning at a rate that has alarmed environmentalists and governments worldwide.
The fires are so large that they are visible from space.

Amazon Fires

Starting in the Amazonian rainforests, the fires have impacted populated areas in the north, such as the states of Rondônia and Acre, blocking sunlight and enveloping the region in smoke.
The smoke has wafted thousands of miles to the Atlantic coast and São Paulo, according to the World Meteorological Organization.
Brazil has reported that forest fires in the region have doubled since 2013, and increased by 84% compared to the same period last year.

How did the fire start?

Mostly caused by farmers clearing land, the fires have thrown the spotlight on Brazilian policies and anti-environment stance.
The farmers had organised a “fire day” along a highway that runs through the heart of the rainforest.
Local farmers set ablaze to sections of the rainforest a few days ago to get the government’s attention.
And dry weather has further fuelled the fire.
The dry season creates favourable conditions for the use and spread of fire, but starting a fire is the work of humans, either deliberately or by accident.

A cause for concern

The Amazon rainforest is a repository of rich biodiversity and produces approximately 20 per cent of the oxygen in the Earth’s atmosphere.
It is also home to indigenous communities whose lives and homelands are under threat due to encroachment.
The Amazon basin matches the emissions released by nations in the basin. The burning of forests, therefore, implies additional carbon emissions.
Deforestation could lead to the Amazon’s transformation from the world’s largest rainforest to a Savanna, which would reverse the region’s ecology.

Importance of Amazons

A National Geographic report said the Amazon rainforest influences the water cycle not only on a regional scale.
The rain produced by the Amazon travels through the region and even reaches the Andes mountain range.
Moisture from the Atlantic falls on the rainforest, and eventually evaporates back into the atmosphere.
The Amazon rainforest has the ability to produce at least half of the rain it receives. This cycle is a delicate balance.

Source: The Hindu

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