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Tens of thousands of fires are burning in the Amazon - here's what you need to know

There is huge concern about the local, national and international impact of the fires.

brazil-manicore-amazon-fire A fire consuming trees in Manicoré in the state of Amazonas, Brazil, on Monday. AE / Xinhua News Agency/PA Images AE / Xinhua News Agency/PA Images / Xinhua News Agency/PA Images

MORE THAN 80,000 fires have been detected in Brazil to date in 2019, with about half of those happening in August alone.

Over half of the fires are in the massive Amazon basin.

Some 60% of the Amazon, the world’s largest tropical rainforest, is in Brazil.

The forest absorbs two billion tonnes of carbon dioxide every year, about 5% of the world’s annual emissions. 

There is huge concern about the local, national and international impact of the fires amid the global climate change crisis.

Here, we look at what is going on and why it matters.

How many fires are we talking about?

Some 83,329 fires have been reported in Brazil this year, according to the most recent figures from Brazilian space research agency INPE

fires INPE INPE

The overall figure is the highest since records began in 2013, and marks an 84% increase on the same period last year.

Over 1,650 new fires were started on Sunday and Monday alone.

According to the INPE, trees were being cleared at the rate of five football pitches every minute last month.

In July, 2,254 sq km of forest were lost, a rise of 278% on the same month in 2018.

Oxygen and misinformation 

Some reports have suggested that the fires threaten the atmospheric oxygen we breathe.

French President Emmanuel Macron tweeted last week that “the Amazon rainforest – the lungs which produces 20% of our planet’s oxygen – is on fire”.

The oft-repeated claim that the Amazon rainforest produces 20% of our planet’s oxygen is based on a misunderstanding. The actual figure is closer to 6%.

Also, some photographs purporting to show this year’s fires are not in fact from 2019.

The above image tweeted by Macron is at least 16 years old. It was taken by the American photojournalist Loren McIntyre, known for his work for National Geographic, who died in 2003.

Nearly all of Earth’s breathable oxygen originated in oceans, and there is enough of it to last for millions of years, according to experts.

“There are many reasons to be appalled by this year’s Amazon fires, but depleting the Earth’s oxygen supply is not one of them,” Scott Denning of Colorado State University said. 

However, the fires are alarming for many reasons. Tropical rainforests like the Amazon are home to many species of plants and animals found nowhere else.

They also contain enormous stores of carbon that, if released, would negatively contribute to the climate crisis.

Many people in Brazil have been taken to hospital with respiratory problems and other issues connected to smoke inhalation. 

‘Tipping point’ 

The fires tearing through the Amazon represent a “tipping point” for the health of the rainforest, the head of a top global forestry management body said today, urging the world to do more to save the trees.

The situation in the Amazon is “very urgent”, Gerhard Dieterle, executive director of the International Tropical Timber Organisation, an intergovernmental agency group that promotes sustainable forestry use, said. 

“This is something that might affect the integrity of the Amazon as a whole, because if the forest fires spread, the grasslands become more prone to forest fires,” Dieterle told AFP. 

If tropical dense forests are affected by forest fires, they need many, many years to regroup. It will alter the climate, the local climate, the national climate and the regional climate. It will also have an influence on the global climate.

What is causing the fires?

Some of the fires started due to natural causes, but the majority have been set on purpose by farmers and mining and lumber companies who wish to clear land; they have been encouraged to do so by Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro.

Illegal land-grabbers also burn trees in an attempt to raise the value of the land they seize.

The Amazon is currently in its dry season, causing many of the fires to spread out of control.

Bolsonaro has said he is committed to protecting the Amazon and prosecuting anyone involved in illegal fires. However, he initially, and without proof, accused activists and NGOs of starting some of the fires in an effort to damage the credibility of his administration.

Bolsonaro is a climate change sceptic and his government has called for looser environmental regulations in the Amazon in a bid to spur development. People in the northern state of Para reportedly held a “day of fire” on 10 August in a show of support for his efforts to weaken environmental protection monitoring in the region.

However, protesters have also taken to the streets across Brazil to criticise government inaction over the fires. The army has been deployed in some areas in a bid to tackle the blazes but critics say this is too little, too late. 

Bolsonaro recently said Brazil will stay in the Paris climate change accord “for now”, leading to international criticism. The far-right leader is not impressed with what he perceived to be interference in his country’s affairs.

What are world leaders doing?

Leaders at the G7 summit this week pledged to donate $20 million (about €18 million) to help combat the blazes, as well as separate offers of $12 million (€10.8 million)  from Britain and $11 million (€10 million) from Canada.

Millions have also been raised through fundraising efforts by NGOs and celebrities such as actor Leonardo DiCaprio who donated $5 million (€4.5 million). 

Bolsonaro initially rejected the G7 offer, taking issue with Macron.

The French president, who has criticised Bolsonaro’s environmental record, called for the fires to be discussed at the recent G7 summit in Biarritz.

In response, the Brazilian leader mocked the appearance of Brigitte Macron, France’s first lady, on Facebook – a moved deemed “extraordinarily rude” by her husband.

“We have nothing against the G7. We have something against one of the G7’s presidents,” Bolsonaro told a summit of Brazilian governors this week. Yesterday he said he was open to discussing G7 aid if Macron “withdraws insults” made against him.

To talk or accept anything from France, with the best possible intentions, (Macron) has to withdraw these words, and from there we can talk.

Bolsonaro later appeared to change his approach somewhat. His spokesperson Otavio Rego Barros told reporters: “The Brazilian government through President Bolsonaro is open to receiving financial support from organisations and even countries.

“The essential point is that this money, on entering Brazil, will be under the control of the Brazilian people.”

Bolsonaro can rely on the support of at least one world leader – US President Donald Trump, who tweeted that he “is working very hard on the Amazon fires and in all respects doing a great job for the people of Brazil”.

Trump, another climate change sceptic, announced the US’s withdrawal from the Paris agreement in 2017.

In his response to Trump’s tweet, Bolsonaro said Brazilian authorities are “fighting the wildfires with great success”, adding that reports to the contrary are part of a “fake news campaign”.

Closer to home, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar last week threatened that Ireland will vote against the controversial Mercosur trade deal unless Brazil takes steps to protect the Amazon.

“There is no way that Ireland will vote for the EU-Mercosur free trade agreement if Brazil does not honour its environmental commitments,” Varadkar said in a statement.

“President Bolsonaro’s efforts to blame the fires on environmental NGOs is Orwellian,” Varadkar added. 

Contains reporting from © AFP 2019 and Associated Press 

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    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Brian Heffernan
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    Jan 16th 2016, 8:23 AM

    I was listening to Radio 1 yesterday morning and you’d think Mother Teresa had just passed away.

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    Mute John Joseph McDermott
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    Jan 16th 2016, 8:40 AM

    Lol.
    Instead of Al Capone.?

    64
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    Mute Dingleberrycity
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    Jan 16th 2016, 7:43 AM

    The characters are all dying off….

    81
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    Mute John Joseph McDermott
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    Jan 16th 2016, 8:39 AM

    “IT’S UNLIKELY ANY other former government press secretaries will be mourned as publicly as PJ Mara has been over the last 24 hours, but then he was much more than that.”
    If that statement is true what does it say about our society.?
    The only thing most good and decent people will remember P.J for is the famous press conference where he tried to gag Vincent Browne,when he insisted on asking questions about the source of wealth of leaders of the Soldiers of Destiny:
    https://youtu.be/F6tQN6H_tVY

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    Mute John Joseph McDermott
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    Jan 16th 2016, 8:42 AM

    It’s off the Wall.! all this mourning for these so called “characters”..

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    Mute Maggie
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    Jan 16th 2016, 11:25 AM

    Don’t worry Bertie is here to stay unfortunately

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    Mute James Delaney
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    Jan 17th 2016, 1:42 AM

    Bertie was on tv yesterday talkin bout PJ. Bertie seemed much reder in tge face & especially his honger. Wonder if Cowen & homself are boozing buddies.

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    Mute Colin Forbes
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    Jan 16th 2016, 8:10 AM

    Characters?! More like chancers!

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    Mute John Joseph McDermott
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    Jan 16th 2016, 8:48 AM

    I would use stronger terms than chancers, but one should not speak ill of the dead-nor of all the suicides which have occurred under the reign of Fianna Fail not to mention the long long waiting lists for housing; or hospital procedures today, for those who cannot afford private health insurance.
    I have no doubt that PJ’s family are very well provided for..

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    Mute William Kelly
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    Jan 16th 2016, 8:51 AM

    No need to speak ill of the dead. Their record of “joint enterprise” in the corruption of our politics, & carpet bagger stroking of the economy,TACA, tents, brown envelopes, etc. will never be erased. Mara may well have been the clean face of the regime, but he loyally defended the indefensible.

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    Mute Prince of Burren
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    Jan 16th 2016, 9:19 AM

    Showtime as the article refers to. These guys think they are playing a game when it comes to election have they ever wondered the trail of destruction they have left our country in for our children and grandchildren and many more generations to come, refraining from making comments on Mr. Mara rip

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    Mute Mark Dunne
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    Jan 16th 2016, 8:09 AM

    Scrap Saturday will never be the same again :(

    20
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    Mute Joe Nah
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    Jan 16th 2016, 10:18 AM

    ‘Political strategist – genius – shaper of the political landscape etc, etc,…..’

    So we have ‘Mara’ to thank for the stinking political culture ordinary citizens have had to endure for the last thirty years?

    Thanks a bunch – no doubt Dunphy will be tearing up on the Marian Finnucane show at some stage this week-end.

    Once again the political and media cosies are disappearing up their own asses – all pals together at the end of the day…..

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    Mute James Kelly
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    Jan 16th 2016, 9:25 AM

    It would be nice to observe PJ Mara as a throwback to another era but he is not. His style, his tactics, his nudge nudge wink wink persona is still very much alive in the mainstream political parties where honest open transparent debate is to be closed down , scrutiny of waiting lists etc etc is not to be encouraged far less dealing with the myocardial of causes including of course self interest mainly in the medical and insurance sectors. Oh no, KENNY and his ilk need people like Mara as they are simply not up to the job themselves no matter how much native cunning and strokes they think they have in the locker room.
    RIP Mr Mara, you’re legacy is safe

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    Mute Donal O Neil
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    Jan 16th 2016, 3:13 PM

    They are cunning linguists

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    Mute Owen McDermott
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    Jan 16th 2016, 9:03 AM

    Much ado about very little – very uninspiring – like the current group of morons I suppose.

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    Mute Pat Redmond
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    Jan 16th 2016, 10:38 AM

    Didn’t Fionnuala O’Kelly, aka Enda Kenny’s, wife, work for years with Meara and learnt from the master. Spot the similarities in strategy?

    Happy, clappy, photocalls : whatever you do say nothing much and keep smiling; hang out at international leader photo calls; stay out of controversies, leave the minister to bat, then let Enda sail in for victory when the government has to cave in; stay on message with rehearsed sound bites, no matter what’s put to you; give party opponents a busy portfolio but shaft them when there’s too much heat and it isn’t going away. At election time, promise taxpayer’s money to the loudest pressure group or key voter demographic at election time. And the leadership heave against Enda was handled with classic Haughey manoeuvres. Meara always acted the joker well. Mrs K stays in the shadows.

    FF PR is alive and well, just getting better and better at FG. Plus ca change. High five!

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    Mute James Delaney
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    Jan 17th 2016, 1:44 AM

    Mrs Kenny was Charlies Secretary.

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    Mute John Joseph McDermott
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    Jan 16th 2016, 10:55 AM

    And RTE this week carried the press release/threats from Irish Water that the citizens who have boycotted the charges will be hounded through the courts and judgements lodged against their properties.etc.
    How dare this gang in power continue to threaten half the nation because they think they have bought the other half with borrowed money and taxes.!
    RTE carried the “propaganda” that more than half their customers had paid.
    However as one third of their registered customers have private wells and a private supply; when this group are removed from the statistics/lies of Irish Water, then I believe that we will find out the real truth some day-that far less than 50% of the people who are being threatened have paid-or will pay.
    I hope the long grass will reveal an enormous number of angry people in the coming election.!

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    Mute James Delaney
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    Jan 17th 2016, 1:47 AM

    I met PJ in my mid teens in the kate 70s – He seemed to be a nice man, a character definately & was interested in the views of young people. A great operator without doubt – having to deal with contraversaries one after the other.

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