As fires burn in the Amazon rainforest in Pantanal, Brazil, many experts predict that history is bound to repeat itself, if not more severely than last year. In 2019, wildfire engulfed large sections of the Amazon rainforest often referred to as ‘The Lungs of the Earth’. Last year, approximately 72,000 square kilometres of tree cover was scorched. Satellite data shows significant increases in the number of wildfires spreading across Brazil for 2020 and fire season is yet to reach its peak.
There are a number of drivers of these fires. The first is deforestation. Large swathes of forest are being replaced by agricultural land. The demand for beef, milk and soy products have skyrocketed over the last few years, driven partly by China’s rapidly burgeoning middle class. Farmers have adapted to accommodate these lucrative deforestation practices by burning more and more forest for agriculture. The majority of fires are reportedly started intentionally by people living on the land.
A changing climate is also influencing the conditions in the Amazon. The Amazon is strongly influenced by The El Nino Southern Oscillation – a climatic cycle that alters weather patterns across the Pacific Ocean and beyond. The weather patterns fluctuate between El Nino and La Nina. In times of El Nino, the changing weather patterns frequently alter the trade winds and result in lower rainfall over the Amazon basin. Drier conditions and near record temperatures enforce higher likelihood of fire. This phenomenon was clearly seen in 2015, when drought conditions created large amounts of dry trees. In the past, a wet rainforest would prevent the initiation of fires. However as global warming amplifies, areas that were considered safe are now on the front-line of the climate change battle.
The Amazon is integral for the extraction of carbon dioxide, often referred to as the world’s ‘carbon sink’. As the world’s largest rainforest, the area has the critical role of absorbing carbon dioxide and providing oxygen. The Amazon spans some 2.12 million square miles and extracts about a quarter of all carbon of global forests. It also pulls water from the Atlantic Ocean and distributes it across the continent via a jet-steam in a pumping motion. Trees also have the special power of reducing ambient temperatures. These unique abilities are vital to combating climate change and maintaining the balance of ecosystems.
A by-product of fire is that it releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, further driving global warming and increasing temperatures. As more carbon is released into the atmosphere from fires, hotter temperatures and more erratic rainfall occur. Thereby creating higher frequency and intensity of extreme weather events such as a wildfire. By no longer absorbing the same amount of carbon dioxide due to less forested area, dangerous amounts of warming are almost locked in. This negative feedback loop is problematic and dangerous to humanity as has the potential to spiral out of control.
Source: http://trees.org/post/fire-food-australia/
Scientist refer to these transitions as ‘ecological tipping points’ or thresholds. Many scientists considered ‘run-away’ climate change as the most potent threat to humanity. To remain in safe territory, we have to ensure we restrict global warming to well below 2 degrees Celsius, as outlined in the Paris agreement.
The reaction from the Brazilian government has predominately been unresponsive when interrogated by other nations. The reality is the beef and agriculture industry are a key provider of economic wealth for Brazil. At the same time, the locals who depend on agriculture for their livelihoods are also the most vulnerable to climate change impacts. Changing rainfall, increasing temperature and greater fluctuations between El Nino and La Nina weather events subject farmers to greater uncertainty when farming.
These changes occurring in the Amazon not only affect the farmers and locals of Brazil, but also global ecosystems and potentially all of earth’s inhabitants.
Further Links
Aragão, L.E.O.C., Anderson, L.O., Fonseca, M.G. et al. 21st Century drought-related fires counteract the decline of Amazon deforestation carbon emissions. Nat Commun 9, 536 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-017-02771-y
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