Brazil’s Amazon forest has caught fire several times before, but this time it’s awfully bad! The forest has been continuously burning for more than two weeks, but sadly it caught the people’s attention only a few days back. Generally, fires occur in such wide forest areas for the purpose of farming, ranching or clearing lands. Earlier, there were many such fire outbreaks, and according to the report by INPE (National Institute for Space Research), there has been a record increase in the number of fires by at least 83% this year.
Are we not bothering about it?
This popular, dense tropical forest is home to more than half of the world’s biodiversity and various other species. This dreadful burning is a tragic phenomenon for millions, majorly for those who are dependent on the rich vegetation & resources of Amazon’s forests.
Following this massive destruction, many of the renowned personalities & global environmental scientists have expressed their concern over the exploitation of our natural resources. ‘The lungs which produce 20% of the world’s oxygen is dying’ – read a tweet and people from all over the world have united to create awareness about this issue by trending #PrayforAmazonia.
From a broader perspective, it is a huge environmental problem, which impacts our planet at large. The forest fires and climatic change have a deep connection & operate together. If the major parts of the rainforest start drying up, then it might create a really hot atmosphere influencing the rainfall patterns. It drastically increases the emission of greenhouse gases, raises the overall temperature and eventually contributes to global warming.
Wake-up call:
It is better if we take up any immediate action to resolve the issue before it gets out of control. Because the worry is that if the remaining parts of the forest fall prey to the dry conditions and climate, then slowly the thriving rainforest might turn into a dry ecosystem, maybe like a desert or so. But, if we manage to preserve it strategically with caution, we no need to even think of such a worst scenario.
As this Amazon forest burning triggers a crucial climatic change, the entire world has started talking, tweeting and posting about it. You might think your tiny efforts may not make a huge difference, but every action is always significant for a long-term change. Moreover, a lot many organizations and agencies have come forward to help save the Amazon forest and even we can also lend a helping hand by contributing through various sources available internationally. The Rainforest Action Network, Rainforest Trust, The World Wide Fund for Nature and Amazon Conservation are a few notable ones.
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