‘Our lungs are on fire’
Amazon’s burning rainforest started since August 15, Thursday, where 9,500 new forest fires lit across the borders of Bolivia and Brazil, especially the amazon basin. As it produces 20% of the world’s oxygen, the Amazon rainforest is considered as the ‘Lungs of the Planet’ where in fact approximately 10 million species of animals, plants and insects known to human, keep our biodiversity and our ecosystem healthy.
Unfortunately, according to CNN, 72,843 fires we are able to witness and were able to conquer more than half in the Amazon region this year. This means that 80% increase compared to the same period from last year where only more than 25,000 fires were listed and it was the largest number of forest fire with a span of 7 years since 2013. The National Institute for Space Research (INPE) began the tracking of these cases and they said that the fires are burning at the highest rate since the country’s spare research center.
“There are strong indications that people from NGOs lost their mind,” said President Jair Bolsonaro in an interview of BBC News and he highlighted his blame to the Non-Government Organizations that they started the fire in Amazon.
After being held as president, Mr. Bolsonaro decided to turn down some government officials particularly the environment agencies and cutting down their budget for farmers and their products for farming.
“I think the Brazilian government is encouraging the soybean farmers to actually burn parts of the forest to create more lands that will continue the agribusiness,” said Magid Magid MEP of Green Party. This only includes that the government wanted the 1.7 billion acres of damaged areas to hold and sustain their economy through businesses.
With a large number of vanished regions, Ecosia.org will plant a million trees as counterpart of the Brazilian rainforest and through this, it will help to regain its rich biodiversity. Foundations, charities, and associations such as Amazon Conservation Team, Amazon Watch, Rainforest Action Network, Rainforest Foundation US, and etc. worked to help the rainforest restore its beauty.
“Any kind of help is currently needed in these areas in Brazil,” a message of Ecosia.org CEO Christian Kroll to Digital Trends, lead them to prioritize the tree planting in the light of the fire. In line with these, Bataan launched the 1M41B last 2018 where Bataenos were challenged to plant 1 million trees to help our nature and the world. This challenge continues to sustain the ability to plant trees and care for our environment.
Let’s THINK locally and ACT globally.
By: Arnyl Joy P. Reyes | Administrative Officer II | Bataan National High School – SHS
