Amazon is more than half of the world’s rainforests
Spread over 5.5m sq.km — that is more than the size of India — the Amazon forest covers 4% of the Earth’s surface and represents over 60% of the world’s remaining rainforests
The lungs of the Earth
The Amazon rainforest absorbs a quarter of the 2.4 billion tonnes of carbon that forests around the world remove from the atmosphere every year. It stores about 86 billion tonnes of carbon, or more than a third of all carbon stored by tropical forests worldwide. All essential to contain global warming
A burning Amazon will hasten global warming
Scientists fear that continued destruction of the Amazon could push it toward a tipping point, after which the region would enter a self-sustained cycle of forest dieback as it converts from rainforest into savannah. Earlier, researchers pegged the tipping point at 40% destruction of the Amazon. That has changed with rising temperatures and increasing number of fires. Now the tipping point is more likely at between 20-25%. Once it is triggered, it will be far harder for the world to keep temperature rises below 1.5 to 2 degrees Celsius
The record wildfires in Brazil are unusual
2019 has seen more than double the number of fires in Brazil than 2013. The unprecedented surge in wildfires has occurred since Bolsonaro took office in January and vowed to develop the Amazon region for farming and mining, ignoring international concern over increased deforestation
Why the world needs the Amazon rainforest
The Amazon is home to an estimated 30% of the world’s plant and animal species.It contains an estimated 390 billion individual trees divided into 16,000 species — that is 10% of all biomass on Earth. The Amazon River, the longest in the world, and its tributaries, provide 20% of the Earth's unfrozen fresh water
The fires aren't entirely because of climate change
Forest fires are most frequent during dry seasons but some are deliberately set to illegally deforest land for agricultural use. Brazil’s National Institute for Space Research says the large number of fires are unusual for the conditions in the region, which is seeing normal climate and slightly below average rainfall
What caused the wildfires
Fires in the Amazon are often set on purpose to clear land. Environmentalists believe those deforesting are the same people starting the fires, saying those setting the fires have been emboldened with Bolsonaro calling for more development. Deforestation has risen 67% year-on-year in the first seven months of 2019 and more than tripled in July alone
Amazon fires from space
Although about 60% of the Amazon is in Brazil, the vast forest also spreads over parts of eight other countries and territories including Bolivia, Peru, Paraguay, Ecuador, Uruguay, northern Argentina, northwestern Colombia, and the French overseas territory of Guiana. This Nasa map shows active fire detections in South America between August 15-22, 2019 as observed by Terra and Aqua MODIS satellites
Whose Amazon?
Across the world, protests continue to rage calling for action to protect the Amazon rainforest. G7 nations have pledged tens of millions of dollars to help Amazon countries fight raging wildfires. Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro has rejected the offer accusing rich countries of treating the region like a 'colony'
New fires rage as Brazil battles the flames
Though Brazil has deployed military aircraft and thousands of troops to douse the fires, some 1,113 new fires were ignited across Saturday and Sunda, according to Brazil's National Institute for Space Research. Smoke choked Porto Velho city and forced the closure of the airport in Brazil's northwestern state of Rondonia where fire-fighting efforts are concentrated