The Earth’s Great Amazon Rainforest is getting destroyed!!

A burning issue prevalent right now, is the destruction of the world’s most vast and incredible rainforest, the Amazon Forest. This year, there has been the worst forest fire outbreak, and only yesterday I was reading the news that the smoke hanging about the forest is affecting the health of people in the surrounding areas.

This is disparaging!!

The tropical Amazon forest is famous for its natural wonders - greenery,wildness. It’s splendidly rich with its environment being a home to a diverse range of animal and plant species. There is unique and precious biodiversity in the region supporting an abundance of flora and fauna. Infact, it is unbelievable to fathom that this Amazon forest has been left to get destroyed, like this is the world’s largest tropical and unique rainforest for Pete’s sake!!!

Recently, French president Emmanuel Macron brought to focus this urgent issue of Amazon’s forest fires, at the G7 meeting that took place in Biarritz, France. The international countries have taken a pledge to make efforts to reduce their carbon footprints in such a way so that the global average temperature of the world does not rise beyond 1.5 degrees celsius, in the Paris Agreement that took place a few years ago. However, if the Amazon forest gets destroyed, the world cannot combat the phenomenon of climate change, so saving and preserving the Amazon forest is an urgent need!!! and therefore the Amazon forest fires are an emergency to cater to!!

The local voice to save the Amazon forest was given by Raoni Metuktire, the indigenous leader of Kayapó people at the meeting with the G7 leaders. He had clearly stated the reason for Amazon’s forest fires was because of the careless policies of Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro and his Government. The Brazilian president, had allowed forest destroying activities in the Amazon forest region including mining, letting the forest land be grabbed and given for farming that led to the deforestation of the Amazon forests.

Under Jair Bolsonaro, the Amazon forest lost protection with the Government making the federal environmental agency, IBAMA powerless, so instances of mining, deforestation(tree felling), grabbing of forest lands were rampant. As the Government was so liberal allowing entities to damage the amazon forests, farmers burned their farm lands to clear it, which is the ultimate reason for the raging forest fires on the Amazon forests.

The joint statement made by Raoni Metuktire was endorsed by 62 Brazilian civil society organizations and networks, together with international allies. He stressed that the Amazon forest fire has to be stopped immediately!!

The G7 countries were willing to aid in the efforts to douse the amazon forest fires with financial aid totalling a sum of $20 million. Besides this, Canada and Britain also separately offered financial aid of $11 and $12 million respectively. These funds were for the upkeep of the whole Amazon region that comprises of 9 countries including Colombia and Bolivia. France has a special connection with the Amazon region with it’s overseas region of French Guiana being in the Amazon region.

However, as of yesterday the news I heard was that the Brazilian President was not cooperating with the G7 countries on this pressing issue and he refused assistance.

Bolsonaro’s response has been offensive, he accused the french president Macron of having ulterior intentions on the region of the Amazon Forests and distrusted the G7 alliance as well that he said is aiding Macron on his colonial pursuits of Amazon or something like that. There was a big fight on social media between the French President and the Brazilian president , with no consensus to act collectively to save the Amazon Forest as the Amazon forest fire issue still raged!! I read in the news, that the fight went so stupidly, that Bolsonaro insulted Macron’s wife!! Ouch!!

Bolsonaro said he was insulted by Macron’s criticisms and wanted those statements to be taken back, then only he would be willing to talk. Macron had charged Bolsonaro of lying on his commitments to take measures against climate change at the G20 meeting that took place in June at Osaka. Macron also threatened to halt a trade deal Brazil had with the European Union if Bolsonaro did not take immediate steps on safeguarding Amazon forests immediately. All this did not work as pressure tactics to have the Brazilian president Bolsonaro to take impactful steps to stop the Amazon forest fires, and stop the deforestation of this amazing rainforest.

Bolsonaro was in favour of exploiting the Amazon regions for economic purposes through mining and taking forest lands from indigeneous people for farming, he was averse of protections given to forest land with ownership of it belonging to indegeous people. Infact, in July 29th, when French Foreign Minister, Jean-Yves le Drian visited Brazil, the Brazilian president did not show up, claiming he was busy elsewhere having an appointment with his hairdresser. France wanted to remind Bolsonaro of the commitment he made at the G20 meeting in adhering to the Paris climate change agreement, but Bolsonaro was clearly showing his animosity.

The only reason, the Brazilian president pledged for the Paris climate change agreement was so that the free trade treaty which would benefit Brazil would then only be signed, but looks like Bolsonaro was not serious in taking steps adhering to the Paris climate change agreement, he in fact was doing the opposite with measures leading to deforestation of the Amazon Forest.

Amazon Forests are very important to everyone in this global. The massive forest cover produce a significant portion of oxygen to the atmosphere. It even traps significant portions of carbon, so the atmosphere is clean to breathe. If those tree cover goes, all those carbons would be sure to make the world’s atmosphere quite toxic.

There is also the relationship between forest cover and water, as forest trees absorb the water to the ground table, these are required for rivers to get water as well, as forests are important water catchment areas. All this will affect the water vapour let out in the atmosphere that would affect the rain cycle as well.

Then there are amazing marvels in Amazon forests, one being the medicinal plants which are needed to make drugs for diseases like cancer. Let’s not forget, the creatures of the Amazon forests, they will be wiped out as well, and the rich Amazon forest will become a depleted place. The creatures of the forest have an integral role to play in the ecosystem of the forests, if they go, the health of the forest is affected as well.

The amazing thing about the forests, is that it can restore itself in time, there will be seeds on the forest ground and they will naturally bloom. The Amazon forest can recover from all the deforestation it has undergone if forest destroying activities are ended and the forest is left alone.

Anyway, I make a pledge today to use only recyclable notebooks, because I am saddened with the trees cut in the forests for the paper I use to write. I sure hope the Amazon forest is left alone, and not destroyed!! , for now hope the forest fire douses off, a lot of incredible creatures of the forest need respite from the fire!!