Researchers have found thousands of rock art pictures that show gigantic Ice Age creatures like mastodons, among others.&nbsp;

These artworks in Amazon rainforest in Colombia were probably made about 11,800 to 12,600 years ago, according to a press release from researchers at the Britain's University of Exeter.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/just-how-cold-was-the-ice-age-exactly-324786#:~:text=%7C%20AFP,average%20temperature%20of%20the%20planet.">Just how cold was the Ice Age exactly?</a>

The paintings are made in three different rock shelters.&nbsp;

Situated in the Serranía La Lindosa in Colombia, the rock art shows how earlier living beings of the area used to have co-existed with Ice Age megafauna, with pictures depicting what looks like camelids, mastodons, sloths, horses and three-toed ungulates with trunks.

"These really are incredible images, produced by the earliest people to live in western Amazonia," said Mark Robinson, an archaeologist from the University of Exeter, as quoted by CNN.&nbsp;

"The paintings give a vivid and exciting glimpse in to the lives of these communities. It is unbelievable to us today to think they lived among, and hunted, giant herbivores, some which were the size of a small car."

Human figures, geometric shapes and hunting scenes were seen in some of the other pictures.&nbsp;

Animals, including bats, deer, tapirs, alligators, monkeys, turtles, porcupines and serpents can also be seen from the art.&nbsp;

Researchers have found thousands of rock art pictures that show gigantic Ice Age creatures like mastodons, among others. These artworks in Amazon rainforest in Colombia were probably made about 11,800 to 12,600 years ago, according to a press release from researchers at the Britain's University of Exeter.

Researchers have found thousands of rock art pictures that show gigantic Ice Age creatures like mastodons, among others. These artworks in Amazon rainforest in Colombia were probably made about 11,800 to 12,600 years ago, according to a press release from researchers at the Britain's University of Exeter. Also read | Just how cold was the Ice Age exactly? The paintings are made in three different rock shelters. Situated in the Serranía La Lindosa in Colombia, the rock art shows how earlier living beings of the area used to have co-existed with Ice Age megafauna, with pictures depicting what looks like camelids, mastodons, sloths, horses and three-toed ungulates with trunks. "These really are incredible images, produced by the earliest people to live in western Amazonia," said Mark Robinson, an archaeologist from the University of Exeter, as quoted by CNN. "The paintings give a vivid and exciting glimpse in to the lives of these communities. It is unbelievable to us today to think they lived among, and hunted, giant herbivores, some which were the size of a small car." Human figures, geometric shapes and hunting scenes were seen in some of the other pictures. Animals, including bats, deer, tapirs, alligators, monkeys, turtles, porcupines and serpents can also be seen from the art.

Amazing 8-mile-long art work of ice age beasts found in Amazon rainforest

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has faced mounting criticism over inaction in the Amazon rainforest, where illegal felling of trees has increased recently, especially during the pandemic.

During a BRICS summit, Bolsonaro said that in the coming days, his government will name countries involved in the import of wood which is extracted illegally from the rainforest.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/brazilian-president-bolsonaro-sparks-outrage-over-his-homophobic-statement-342293" hreflang="en">Brazilian President Bolsonaro sparks outrage over his homophobic statement</a>

Bolsonaro was speaking at the BRICS summit - a block of developing economies - Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.

According to the Brazilian President, local police had come up with a way to track wood exported from the Amazon using isotopes.

Data suggests that deforestation in the “Earth’s lungs” - or the Amazon rainforest has increased under the right-wing Bolsonaro. He has urged for increased mining, farming, and economic development. Additionally, he undermined the role of forest fires.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://13.235.153.162/world/how-trump-and-bolsonaro-broke-latin-americas-covid-19-defenses-338261" hreflang="en">How Trump and Bolsonaro broke Latin America’s COVID-19 defenses</a>

While addressing the BRICS nation states - China, Russia, South Africa, and Russia, Bolsonaro launched an attack on multilateral forums. He also defended reforms in the World Trade Organization as well as the World Health Organization.

Bolsonaro has infamously downplayed the intensity of COVID-19, even after catching it himself. He has also vocally rejected WHO’s social distancing guidelines.&nbsp;

According to him, the pandemic and the economic crisis ought to be addressed together.

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has faced mounting criticism over inaction in the Amazon rainforest, where illegal felling of trees has increased recently, especially during the pandemic.

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has faced mounting criticism over inaction in the Amazon rainforest, where illegal felling of trees has increased recently, especially during the pandemic. During a BRICS summit, Bolsonaro said that in the coming days, his government will name countries involved in the import of wood which is extracted illegally from the rainforest. Also read: Brazilian President Bolsonaro sparks outrage over his homophobic statement Bolsonaro was speaking at the BRICS summit - a block of developing economies - Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. According to the Brazilian President, local police had come up with a way to track wood exported from the Amazon using isotopes. Data suggests that deforestation in the “Earth’s lungs” - or the Amazon rainforest has increased under the right-wing Bolsonaro. He has urged for increased mining, farming, and economic development. Additionally, he undermined the role of forest fires. Also read: How Trump and Bolsonaro broke Latin America’s COVID-19 defenses While addressing the BRICS nation states - China, Russia, South Africa, and Russia, Bolsonaro launched an attack on multilateral forums. He also defended reforms in the World Trade Organization as well as the World Health Organization. Bolsonaro has infamously downplayed the intensity of COVID-19, even after catching it himself. He has also vocally rejected WHO’s social distancing guidelines. According to him, the pandemic and the economic crisis ought to be addressed together.

Brazil will track illegal Amazon wood exports using isotopes: Bolsonaro at BRICS summit

The National Institute of Space Research (INPE) said satellite imagery showed an increase of 61% in the number of fires in September, compared to the same period last year in Brazil's Amazon forest.

Amazon suffers worst fire in decades | The entire Amazon spade 9 countries

Fires spike in Brazil's Amazon, claim scientists; fire increased 61% in Sept

Brazil is home to the world's largest rainforest- The Amazon. It is also home to the World's largest tropical wetland- The Pantanal. Both are on fire. But Brazil's President Bolsonaro wants credit for preserving the environment. WION's Palki Sharma has a report.

Gravitas: As Amazon forest burns, Bolsonaro wants credit for 'saving environment'

Brazil is a home to the Amazon & Pantanal, both are on fire. But Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro wants credit for preserving the environment.

Bolsonaro lauds himself for 'preserving environment' amid wildfires continues across Brazil

Brazil's environment minister challenged Hollywood star Leonardo DiCaprio Thursday to "put your money where your mouth is," after the actor and environmentalist criticized far-right President Jair Bolsonaro's policies on the Amazon rainforest.

DiCaprio had shared a video on Twitter Wednesday from a campaign called DefundBolsonaro.org, which claims that "Bolsonaro's government has taken the destruction of the Amazon to unbearable levels," and calls on investors to pressure the president to take steps to protect the world's biggest rainforest.

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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DefundBolsonaro?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DefundBolsonaro</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AmazonOrBolsonaro?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AmazonOrBolsonaro</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WhichSideAreYouOn?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WhichSideAreYouOn</a> <a href="https://t.co/Q1DtSSrhzg">https://t.co/Q1DtSSrhzg</a>
— Leonardo DiCaprio (@LeoDiCaprio) <a href="https://twitter.com/LeoDiCaprio/status/1303747439271137281?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 9, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Environment Minister Ricardo Salles fired back with a taunt.

"Dear @LeoDiCaprio, Brazil is launching 'Adopt1Park' preservation project which allows you or any other company or individual to pick one of the 132 parks in the Amazon and directly sponsor it at 10 euros per hectare per year. Are you going to put your money where your mouth is?" Salles wrote on Twitter.

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Dear <a href="https://twitter.com/LeoDiCaprio?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@LeoDiCaprio</a> Brazil is launching “Adopt1Park” preservation project which allows you or any other company or individual to pick one of the 132 Parks in the Amazon and directly sponsor it at 10 Euros per hectare per year. Are you going to put your money where your mouth is? <a href="https://t.co/VMG817oUX8">https://t.co/VMG817oUX8</a>
— Ricardo Salles MMA (@rsallesmma) <a href="https://twitter.com/rsallesmma/status/1303994727663120385?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 10, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Bolsonaro retweeted the message.

The president, who took office in January 2019, has presided over a surge in fires and deforestation in the Amazon, which scientists say is a vital resource for curbing climate change.

DiCaprio, who has called for stronger action to protect the rainforest, has become a favorite target of the Bolsonaro administration.

Last month, Vice President Hamilton Mourao challenged the "Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood" star to an eight-hour hike in the Amazon, saying he wanted to show him the rainforest was not actually burning.

Salles, for his part, has shown a knack for stirring up controversy.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/jair-bolsonaro-calls-reports-of-amazons-fires-a-lie-326273">Also watch:&nbsp;Jair Bolsonaro calls reports of Amazon's fires a 'Lie'</a>

The environment minister faced intense criticism in April when a video recording was made public of a Bolsonaro cabinet meeting at which he said the coronavirus pandemic was an opportunity to roll back regulations "now that the media's only talking about Covid."

He landed in a new row Thursday when he tweeted a video by a Brazilian agricultural lobby group that claims, "The Amazon is not burning," with images of verdant forest, smiling indigenous people and cute animals.

However, it soon emerged the video featured animals that do not actually live in the Amazon.

Though Bolsonaro has called reports on the Amazon fires "a lie," figures from his own government show there were 29,307 fires in the rainforest last month, just slightly shy of the crisis levels that triggered international condemnation last year.

Brazil's environment minister challenged Hollywood star Leonardo DiCaprio Thursday to "put your money where your mouth is," after the actor and environmentalist criticized far-right President Jair Bolsonaro's policies on the Amazon rainforest.

Brazil's environment minister challenged Hollywood star Leonardo DiCaprio Thursday to "put your money where your mouth is," after the actor and environmentalist criticized far-right President Jair Bolsonaro's policies on the Amazon rainforest. DiCaprio had shared a video on Twitter Wednesday from a campaign called DefundBolsonaro.org, which claims that "Bolsonaro's government has taken the destruction of the Amazon to unbearable levels," and calls on investors to pressure the president to take steps to protect the world's biggest rainforest. #DefundBolsonaro #AmazonOrBolsonaro #WhichSideAreYouOn https://t.co/Q1DtSSrhzg — Leonardo DiCaprio (@LeoDiCaprio) September 9, 2020 × Environment Minister Ricardo Salles fired back with a taunt. "Dear @LeoDiCaprio, Brazil is launching 'Adopt1Park' preservation project which allows you or any other company or individual to pick one of the 132 parks in the Amazon and directly sponsor it at 10 euros per hectare per year. Are you going to put your money where your mouth is?" Salles wrote on Twitter. Dear @LeoDiCaprio Brazil is launching “Adopt1Park” preservation project which allows you or any other company or individual to pick one of the 132 Parks in the Amazon and directly sponsor it at 10 Euros per hectare per year. Are you going to put your money where your mouth is? https://t.co/VMG817oUX8 — Ricardo Salles MMA (@rsallesmma) September 10, 2020 × Bolsonaro retweeted the message. The president, who took office in January 2019, has presided over a surge in fires and deforestation in the Amazon, which scientists say is a vital resource for curbing climate change. DiCaprio, who has called for stronger action to protect the rainforest, has become a favorite target of the Bolsonaro administration. Last month, Vice President Hamilton Mourao challenged the "Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood" star to an eight-hour hike in the Amazon, saying he wanted to show him the rainforest was not actually burning. Salles, for his part, has shown a knack for stirring up controversy. Also watch: Jair Bolsonaro calls reports of Amazon's fires a 'Lie' The environment minister faced intense criticism in April when a video recording was made public of a Bolsonaro cabinet meeting at which he said the coronavirus pandemic was an opportunity to roll back regulations "now that the media's only talking about Covid." He landed in a new row Thursday when he tweeted a video by a Brazilian agricultural lobby group that claims, "The Amazon is not burning," with images of verdant forest, smiling indigenous people and cute animals. However, it soon emerged the video featured animals that do not actually live in the Amazon. Though Bolsonaro has called reports on the Amazon fires "a lie," figures from his own government show there were 29,307 fires in the rainforest last month, just slightly shy of the crisis levels that triggered international condemnation last year.

Controversial Brazil environment minister taunts DiCaprio

Brazilian Vice President Hamilton Mourao challenged actor and environmentalist Leonardo DiCaprio Wednesday to an eight-hour hike in the Amazon, saying he wanted to show the Hollywood star the rainforest is not actually burning.

Mourao, who heads President Jair Bolsonaro's task force on fighting deforestation, took issue with DiCaprio reposting an Instagram video from The Guardian newspaper with images of the world's biggest rainforest in flames.

"I'd like to invite our most recent critic, the actor Leonardo DiCaprio, to come with me to Sao Gabriel da Cachoeira (in northern Brazil) and walk eight hours through the jungle," Mourao said at an event on sustainable development in the Amazon organized by the National Industrial Confederation (CNI).

"He'll get a better understanding of how things work in this immense region."

DiCaprio, an outspoken environmentalist, shared The Guardian's post on his own Instagram account Friday.

The accompanying caption cited satellite data from Brazil's space agency, INPE, showing the number of fires in the Brazilian Amazon in July increased 28 percent year-on-year, with early numbers for August also showing an increase.

"Brazil's president, Jair Bolsonaro, is under pressure internationally to curb the fires, but he has publicly doubted the severity of them in the past claiming opponents and indigenous communities were responsible," said the post.

Bolsonaro has faced international condemnation for presiding over rising deforestation and huge fires in the Amazon last year.

The far-right leader has downplayed the issue, saying last week that "this story that the Amazon is burning is a lie."

But he is also keen to avoid a repeat of last year's international outcry.

In July, he decreed a 120-day ban on the agricultural fires used by farmers and ranchers to clear their fields with the slash-and-burn method -- the main cause of fires in the Amazon, according to experts.

And he has deployed the army to the region ahead of this year's fire season, which is getting under way.

Mourao claims the policies are working.

He was quick to play up the fact that deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon decreased 36 percent in July 2020 from the record level of July 2019.

However, the same data also show that deforestation increased 34.5 percent year-on-year in the 12 months through July.

Brazilian Vice President Hamilton Mourao challenged actor and environmentalist Leonardo DiCaprio Wednesday to an eight-hour hike in the Amazon, saying he wanted to show the Hollywood star the rainforest is not actually burning.

Brazilian Vice President Hamilton Mourao challenged actor and environmentalist Leonardo DiCaprio Wednesday to an eight-hour hike in the Amazon, saying he wanted to show the Hollywood star the rainforest is not actually burning. Mourao, who heads President Jair Bolsonaro's task force on fighting deforestation, took issue with DiCaprio reposting an Instagram video from The Guardian newspaper with images of the world's biggest rainforest in flames. "I'd like to invite our most recent critic, the actor Leonardo DiCaprio, to come with me to Sao Gabriel da Cachoeira (in northern Brazil) and walk eight hours through the jungle," Mourao said at an event on sustainable development in the Amazon organized by the National Industrial Confederation (CNI). "He'll get a better understanding of how things work in this immense region." DiCaprio, an outspoken environmentalist, shared The Guardian's post on his own Instagram account Friday. The accompanying caption cited satellite data from Brazil's space agency, INPE, showing the number of fires in the Brazilian Amazon in July increased 28 percent year-on-year, with early numbers for August also showing an increase. "Brazil's president, Jair Bolsonaro, is under pressure internationally to curb the fires, but he has publicly doubted the severity of them in the past claiming opponents and indigenous communities were responsible," said the post. Bolsonaro has faced international condemnation for presiding over rising deforestation and huge fires in the Amazon last year. The far-right leader has downplayed the issue, saying last week that "this story that the Amazon is burning is a lie." But he is also keen to avoid a repeat of last year's international outcry. In July, he decreed a 120-day ban on the agricultural fires used by farmers and ranchers to clear their fields with the slash-and-burn method -- the main cause of fires in the Amazon, according to experts. And he has deployed the army to the region ahead of this year's fire season, which is getting under way. Mourao claims the policies are working. He was quick to play up the fact that deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon decreased 36 percent in July 2020 from the record level of July 2019. However, the same data also show that deforestation increased 34.5 percent year-on-year in the 12 months through July.

Brazil vice-president challenges actor Leonardo Dicaprio to a hike in Amazon

Flames are ravaging Brazil's Pantanal, the world's largest wetland, approaching the region's main highway and threatening endangered species amid a near-record number of fires.

Brazil's national space research agency Inpe has registered 3,121 fires in the first 15 days of August, nearly five times higher than the same period a year ago. At the current pace, fires could approach the all-time record for any month since records began in 1998.

Firefighters in the area worked to douse smoldering earth that was charred black as clouds of smoke billowed hundreds of feet into the air.

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/brazil-fires-official-who-divulged-details-of-record-deforestation-in-the-amazon-313178">Brazil fires official who divulged details of record-deforestation in the Amazon</a>

Speaking on a visit to Mato Grosso State to see the fire-fighting efforts in the Pantanal, Environment Minister Ricardo Salles said the challenges loom large.

"The atmosphere is very hot, very dry, with strong winds and high temperatures," Salles said.

"We saw hundreds of fires along the journey throughout the day. Places where the planes and firemen have fought the fires directly without stopping, but still the fires are causing great damage to fauna, flora and to the Pantanal region," he added.

Also see: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/social-media-erupts-as-fire-rages-in-amazon-rainforest-244780">Social media erupts as fire rages in Amazon rainforest</a>

Roughly 8,500 square kilometers, or nearly 6 per cent&nbsp;of the Pantanal, burned from January to July, according to government data.

The Pantanal is 10 times the size of the Everglades wetlands in the US&nbsp;state of Florida. The region is one of the most biodiverse places on the planet with more than 4,700 plant and animal species, including threatened ones like the jaguar, according to advocacy group WWF.

Most of the largest sanctuary for the blue Hyacinthine Macaw parrots has gone up in flames this year, Brazil's Folha de S.Paulo newspaper reported.

The region has been suffering from below-average rainfall and higher-than-average temperatures in the past 30 days, according to data provider Refinitiv.

"It is extremely difficult to combat, control and combat again a fire with the dimensions that we have seen here in the Pantanal," said Paulo Barroso, president of the local firefighting committee.

The blazes in the Pantanal come amid rising concerns about fires in the Amazon, its much larger neighbor to the north. Fires spiked in the first few days of August in the Amazon, but were down by 17 per cent&nbsp;for August&nbsp;1-15, compared with the same period a year ago.

Flames are ravaging Brazil's Pantanal, the world's largest wetland, approaching the region's main highway and threatening endangered species amid a near-record number of fires.

Flames are ravaging Brazil's Pantanal, the world's largest wetland, approaching the region's main highway and threatening endangered species amid a near-record number of fires. Brazil's national space research agency Inpe has registered 3,121 fires in the first 15 days of August, nearly five times higher than the same period a year ago. At the current pace, fires could approach the all-time record for any month since records began in 1998. Firefighters in the area worked to douse smoldering earth that was charred black as clouds of smoke billowed hundreds of feet into the air. Also read: Brazil fires official who divulged details of record-deforestation in the Amazon Speaking on a visit to Mato Grosso State to see the fire-fighting efforts in the Pantanal, Environment Minister Ricardo Salles said the challenges loom large. "The atmosphere is very hot, very dry, with strong winds and high temperatures," Salles said. "We saw hundreds of fires along the journey throughout the day. Places where the planes and firemen have fought the fires directly without stopping, but still the fires are causing great damage to fauna, flora and to the Pantanal region," he added. Also see: Social media erupts as fire rages in Amazon rainforest Roughly 8,500 square kilometers, or nearly 6 per cent of the Pantanal, burned from January to July, according to government data. The Pantanal is 10 times the size of the Everglades wetlands in the US state of Florida. The region is one of the most biodiverse places on the planet with more than 4,700 plant and animal species, including threatened ones like the jaguar, according to advocacy group WWF. Most of the largest sanctuary for the blue Hyacinthine Macaw parrots has gone up in flames this year, Brazil's Folha de S.Paulo newspaper reported. The region has been suffering from below-average rainfall and higher-than-average temperatures in the past 30 days, according to data provider Refinitiv. "It is extremely difficult to combat, control and combat again a fire with the dimensions that we have seen here in the Pantanal," said Paulo Barroso, president of the local firefighting committee. The blazes in the Pantanal come amid rising concerns about fires in the Amazon, its much larger neighbor to the north. Fires spiked in the first few days of August in the Amazon, but were down by 17 per cent for August 1-15, compared with the same period a year ago.

Brazil fires threaten world's largest wetland

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro on Tuesday called the fires in Amazon rainforest a “lie” while vehemently denying the existence of any fire in the region.

This stands in stark opposition to the data divulged by his own government, which show thousands of fires in the region.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="/world/brazil-fires-official-who-divulged-details-of-record-deforestation-in-the-amazon-313178" hreflang="en">Brazil fires official who divulged details of record-deforestation in the Amazon</a>

In 2019, Brazil’s fires for the month hit a nine-year high, with the number expected to go higher this year. Just in the first 10 days of August, 10,000 fires have been recorded, up by 17 per cent a year ago.

Brazil’s Amazon rainforests have witnessed a 28 per cent increase in the number of forest fires in July compared to the same period last year.

As per data from the country’s National Institute for Space Research, 6,803 fires were recorded in the month of July alone, compared to 5,318 last year.

Fire season

Over 60 per cent of the Amazon basin falls under Brazil. Dubbed as the “lungs of the earth”, the rainforest is crucial in limiting the impact of climate change.

However, President Jair Bolsonaro’s term has witnessed a record increase in deforestation and mining in closed forested areas, which has put scores of indigenous populations at risk. This incursion has also led to COVID-19 spreading in communities that live deep in the forests.

<h6><img alt="A Brazilian Institute for the Environment and Renewable Natural Resources (IBAMA) fire brigade member holds a dead anteater while attempting to control hot points in a tract of the Amazon jungle near Apui, Amazonas State, Brazil, August 11, 2020" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="6c11065c-37be-4097-8cac-259c7e924d2a" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design-3_35.jpg" /> 
A Brazilian Institute for the Environment and Renewable Natural Resources (IBAMA) fire brigade member holds a dead anteater while attempting to control hot points in a tract of the Amazon jungle near Apui, Amazonas State, Brazil, August 11, 2020 | Reuters</h6>

This is particularly worrying because usually August is when the fire season begins in the area. If the trend follows, we may witnessed record figures even this month.

Last August, a large number of forest fires ravaged parts of the rainforest.

Record broken

&nbsp;"More than 1,000 fires in a single day is a 15-year record and shows the government's strategy of media-spectacle operations is not working on the ground," spokesman for Greenpeace, Romulo Batista said in a statement.

Most of these fires are triggered deliberately to clear land of vegetation and trees, making the process of clearing easier. A lot of this land is then used illegally to farm, mine, and to ranch.

Bolsonaro too, has been outspoken about opening up the forest to bring in more business and industries into the country. He has also often denied climate change, a common tendency among far-right leaders.

2020 has been anyway devastating for Brazil’s Amazon, with the first half witnessing the most deforestation in the region ever!

Also read:<a href="/world/environmentalists-shudder-as-amazon-rainforest-witnesses-record-number-of-fires-in-july-317818" hreflang="en">Environmentalists shudder as Amazon rainforest witnesses record number of fires in July</a>

Over 3,000 square kilometres (more than 1,100 square miles) of land was cleared. This is bigger than the country of Luxembourg.

"They won't find any spot of fire, nor a quarter of a hectare deforested," Bolsonaro said.

“This story that the Amazon is going up in flames is a lie and we must combat it with true numbers," he added.

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro on Tuesday called the fires in Amazon rainforest a “lie” while vehemently denying the existence of any fire in the region. This stands in stark opposition to the data divulged by his own government, which show thousands of fires in the region.

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro on Tuesday called the fires in Amazon rainforest a “lie” while vehemently denying the existence of any fire in the region. This stands in stark opposition to the data divulged by his own government, which show thousands of fires in the region. Also read: Brazil fires official who divulged details of record-deforestation in the Amazon In 2019, Brazil’s fires for the month hit a nine-year high, with the number expected to go higher this year. Just in the first 10 days of August, 10,000 fires have been recorded, up by 17 per cent a year ago. Brazil’s Amazon rainforests have witnessed a 28 per cent increase in the number of forest fires in July compared to the same period last year. As per data from the country’s National Institute for Space Research, 6,803 fires were recorded in the month of July alone, compared to 5,318 last year. Fire season Over 60 per cent of the Amazon basin falls under Brazil. Dubbed as the “lungs of the earth”, the rainforest is crucial in limiting the impact of climate change. However, President Jair Bolsonaro’s term has witnessed a record increase in deforestation and mining in closed forested areas, which has put scores of indigenous populations at risk. This incursion has also led to COVID-19 spreading in communities that live deep in the forests. A Brazilian Institute for the Environment and Renewable Natural Resources (IBAMA) fire brigade member holds a dead anteater while attempting to control hot points in a tract of the Amazon jungle near Apui, Amazonas State, Brazil, August 11, 2020 | Reuters This is particularly worrying because usually August is when the fire season begins in the area. If the trend follows, we may witnessed record figures even this month. Last August, a large number of forest fires ravaged parts of the rainforest. Record broken "More than 1,000 fires in a single day is a 15-year record and shows the government's strategy of media-spectacle operations is not working on the ground," spokesman for Greenpeace, Romulo Batista said in a statement. Most of these fires are triggered deliberately to clear land of vegetation and trees, making the process of clearing easier. A lot of this land is then used illegally to farm, mine, and to ranch. Bolsonaro too, has been outspoken about opening up the forest to bring in more business and industries into the country. He has also often denied climate change, a common tendency among far-right leaders. 2020 has been anyway devastating for Brazil’s Amazon, with the first half witnessing the most deforestation in the region ever! Also read:Environmentalists shudder as Amazon rainforest witnesses record number of fires in July Over 3,000 square kilometres (more than 1,100 square miles) of land was cleared. This is bigger than the country of Luxembourg. "They won't find any spot of fire, nor a quarter of a hectare deforested," Bolsonaro said. “This story that the Amazon is going up in flames is a lie and we must combat it with true numbers," he added.

While Amazon records 10,000 fires in the first 10 days of August, Brazilian President Bolsonaro terms it a 'lie'

Indigenous groups from nine countries in the Amazon basin called on Wednesday (May 6) for donations to help protect 3 million rainforest inhabitants who are vulnerable to the spread of the novel coronavirus because they lack adequate access to healthcare.

Amazon indigenous groups launch international fund to fight coronavirus

Climate&nbsp;summit&nbsp;host&nbsp;Spain&nbsp;criticised some nations' "silent complicity" with the global environmental&nbsp;crisis&nbsp;and said the upcoming UN&nbsp;meeting must not be treated as a "trade fair."

With wildfires from the United States and Australia plus flooding in Europe all being linked to&nbsp;climate&nbsp;change, public pressure is rising on governments to find urgent solutions at the United Nations'&nbsp;summit&nbsp;in Madrid on December&nbsp;2-13.

Spain's acting energy minister told Reuters delegates must combine enthusiasm with credible proposals to implement the Paris pact on curbing emissions enough to limit temperature rises to within 1.5-2 degrees Celsius of pre-industrial levels.

"This is not a trade fair, a showcase of who is doing more, it is about consolidating what is being done to be able to do more," Teresa Ribera said at her ministry in Madrid.

"Sadly, those making progress get criticised more than the people who stay silent," said the 50 year-old, who headed the France-based Institute for Sustainable Development and International Relations think-tank before becoming a minister under Socialist leader Pedro Sanchez.

"The worst thing in a situation like ours is silent complicity. And that is all around us."

To the frustration of environmental activists and many scientists, there is high-level global disagreement over the causes and solutions for environmental warming.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions/saudi-arabia-policy-shift-a-rare-donald-trumps-foreign-policy-success-252387">President Donald Trump</a> has begun withdrawing the United States from the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-administration-begins-formal-exit-from-paris-climate-pact-259963">Paris Agreement</a> and <a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions/bolsonaro-may-not-be-the-real-culprit-of-the-amazon-fire-246177">Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro</a> has taken heat for accelerated rainforest destruction.

"It has not been easy to work with Brazil on this subject in recent years," acknowledged Ribera, warning that losing Amazon forest cover would be a "carbon bomb" for the world.

"But things are changing and there is responsiveness which we must work with."

China, the world's biggest carbon emitter, has made no statements against the Paris Agreement but is bringing back projects related to new coal-fired plants, she said.

"This is worrying. All the effort to close thermoelectric plants in the rest of the world would reach a dead end if China started building new plants again."

A UN-led global trading system for carbon emissions would be excellent, but must not be rushed, Ribera said.

Her country stepped in to&nbsp;host&nbsp;the&nbsp;summit&nbsp;after riots over inequality prompted Chile to withdraw.

That change obliged Swedish activist Greta Thunberg, who refuses to fly, to set out on a catamaran across the Atlantic.

Ribera said she expected the 16-year-old to arrive on time.

Climate summit host Spain criticised some nations' "silent complicity" with the global environmental crisis and said the upcoming UN meeting must not be treated as a "trade fair.

Climate summit host Spain criticised some nations' "silent complicity" with the global environmental crisis and said the upcoming UN meeting must not be treated as a "trade fair." With wildfires from the United States and Australia plus flooding in Europe all being linked to climate change, public pressure is rising on governments to find urgent solutions at the United Nations' summit in Madrid on December 2-13. Spain's acting energy minister told Reuters delegates must combine enthusiasm with credible proposals to implement the Paris pact on curbing emissions enough to limit temperature rises to within 1.5-2 degrees Celsius of pre-industrial levels. "This is not a trade fair, a showcase of who is doing more, it is about consolidating what is being done to be able to do more," Teresa Ribera said at her ministry in Madrid. "Sadly, those making progress get criticised more than the people who stay silent," said the 50 year-old, who headed the France-based Institute for Sustainable Development and International Relations think-tank before becoming a minister under Socialist leader Pedro Sanchez. "The worst thing in a situation like ours is silent complicity. And that is all around us." To the frustration of environmental activists and many scientists, there is high-level global disagreement over the causes and solutions for environmental warming. President Donald Trump has begun withdrawing the United States from the Paris Agreement and Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has taken heat for accelerated rainforest destruction. "It has not been easy to work with Brazil on this subject in recent years," acknowledged Ribera, warning that losing Amazon forest cover would be a "carbon bomb" for the world. "But things are changing and there is responsiveness which we must work with." China, the world's biggest carbon emitter, has made no statements against the Paris Agreement but is bringing back projects related to new coal-fired plants, she said. "This is worrying. All the effort to close thermoelectric plants in the rest of the world would reach a dead end if China started building new plants again." A UN-led global trading system for carbon emissions would be excellent, but must not be rushed, Ribera said. Her country stepped in to host the summit after riots over inequality prompted Chile to withdraw. That change obliged Swedish activist Greta Thunberg, who refuses to fly, to set out on a catamaran across the Atlantic. Ribera said she expected the 16-year-old to arrive on time.

Summit host Spain chides 'silent complicity' in climate crisis

Deforestation in the Amazon soars to record numbers in 11 years

Deforestation in Brazil's Amazon rainforest rose to its highest in over a decade this year, government data on Monday showed, confirming a sharp rise under the leadership of right-wing President Jair Bolsonaro.

Brazil's INPE space research agency said deforestation reached 9,762 square kilometres, up 29.5%, for the 12 months through July 2019.

That's the worst level of deforestation since 2008, heaping further pressure on the environmental policy of Bolsonaro who favours developing the Amazon region economically.

Environment Minister Ricardo Salles told reporters in a briefing on the figures that Brazil would roll out a series of measures to counter the rising deforestation, including stepping up enforcement efforts assisted by high-resolution satellite imaging.

Salles said he would meet with governors of Amazon states on Wednesday to further discuss tactics to counter deforestation, adding that the figures show a new strategy was needed and that sustainable economic opportunities must be developed in the region.

The Amazon is the world's largest tropical rainforest and is considered key to the fight against climate change because of the vast amounts of carbon dioxide it absorbs.

Deforestation in Brazil's Amazon rainforest rose to its highest in over a decade this year, government data on Monday showed, confirming a sharp rise under the leadership of right-wing President Jair Bolsonaro.

Deforestation in Brazil's Amazon rainforest rose to its highest in over a decade this year, government data on Monday showed, confirming a sharp rise under the leadership of right-wing President Jair Bolsonaro. Brazil's INPE space research agency said deforestation reached 9,762 square kilometres, up 29.5%, for the 12 months through July 2019. That's the worst level of deforestation since 2008, heaping further pressure on the environmental policy of Bolsonaro who favours developing the Amazon region economically. Environment Minister Ricardo Salles told reporters in a briefing on the figures that Brazil would roll out a series of measures to counter the rising deforestation, including stepping up enforcement efforts assisted by high-resolution satellite imaging. Salles said he would meet with governors of Amazon states on Wednesday to further discuss tactics to counter deforestation, adding that the figures show a new strategy was needed and that sustainable economic opportunities must be developed in the region. The Amazon is the world's largest tropical rainforest and is considered key to the fight against climate change because of the vast amounts of carbon dioxide it absorbs.

Brazil Amazon deforestation soars to 11-year high in 2019

From Amazon to Indonesia to Malaysia to Singapore to Thailand - it's one story. It's a climate emergency.

And the rally to tackle climate change must be global and concerted because the effects are global.

The raging forest fires in the Amazon wild forests, as well as Indonesia, are two snapshots of our future which must concern all of us.

The most important problem is the global ineptitude in preventing such climate disasters from happening.

This is because these fires have become annual events. Every year, Indonesia sets late-summer fires to clear forests.

The smoke from the fires has been disastrous for several neighbouring countries.&nbsp;

Malaysia, for instance, is paying the price for Indonesian fires.

The 1997 fires in Indonesia alone burnt nearly 20 thousand square miles of forest cover.

In 2015, &nbsp;the fires caused premature deaths of nearly one lakh people.

Yet, the apathy continues.

The sad truth is, countries view offers of help as external interference. For instance, Indonesia has declined offers of assistance from Malaysia and Singapore to tackle forest fires&nbsp;

Just like Amazon fires, in Indonesia too, there is zero accountability. Even after the order from the country's top court, the Joko Widodo government has not released data on plantation ownership, boundaries and licenses.

Such data would help the government identify the origin of fires.

But countries are not willing to fix the problem. Their focus has been damage control but knee-jerk reactions and stop-gap solutions will not work anymore.&nbsp;

The effects of climate change are being felt by the people. Air is polluted, the forest cover is dwindling at a rapid rate, and it has become a public health crisis.

Rampaging fires are slowly making life difficult in this planet and failure to act against global warming will accelerate the extinction of life as we know it.

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

From Amazon to Indonesia to Malaysia to Singapore to Thailand - it's one story. It's a climate emergency. And the rally to tackle climate change must be global and concerted because the effects are global.

From Amazon to Indonesia to Malaysia to Singapore to Thailand - it's one story. It's a climate emergency. And the rally to tackle climate change must be global and concerted because the effects are global. The raging forest fires in the Amazon wild forests, as well as Indonesia, are two snapshots of our future which must concern all of us. The most important problem is the global ineptitude in preventing such climate disasters from happening. This is because these fires have become annual events. Every year, Indonesia sets late-summer fires to clear forests. The smoke from the fires has been disastrous for several neighbouring countries. Malaysia, for instance, is paying the price for Indonesian fires. The 1997 fires in Indonesia alone burnt nearly 20 thousand square miles of forest cover. In 2015, the fires caused premature deaths of nearly one lakh people. Yet, the apathy continues. The sad truth is, countries view offers of help as external interference. For instance, Indonesia has declined offers of assistance from Malaysia and Singapore to tackle forest fires Just like Amazon fires, in Indonesia too, there is zero accountability. Even after the order from the country's top court, the Joko Widodo government has not released data on plantation ownership, boundaries and licenses. Such data would help the government identify the origin of fires. But countries are not willing to fix the problem. Their focus has been damage control but knee-jerk reactions and stop-gap solutions will not work anymore. The effects of climate change are being felt by the people. Air is polluted, the forest cover is dwindling at a rapid rate, and it has become a public health crisis. Rampaging fires are slowly making life difficult in this planet and failure to act against global warming will accelerate the extinction of life as we know it. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

WION Edit: Global warming threat continues to grow

A Human Rights Watch report on Tuesday (September 17) found that more than 300 people have been killed over the past decade in conflicts over the use of land and resources in the Amazon, many by organised criminal networks profiting from illegal deforestation.

Hundreds killed in Brazil's Amazon over land, resources in past decade -report

The chief of an indigenous tribe in the heart of the world's largest rainforest - the Amazon - said on Monday (September 09) illegal loggers were causing damage to a protected area.

'They're taking all the riches from indigenous lands' - illegal loggers spoil pristine Amazon forest

The number of fires in Brazil's Amazon basin is still on the rise, even though the government has banned burning, officials said Saturday.

In the first 48 hours since the ban was issued, satellite data from the National Space Research Institute (INPE) showed 3,859 new outbreaks of fire, of which some 2,000 were concentrated in the Amazon region.

From January to the end of August, 51.9 per cent of Brazil's recorded 88,816 fires were in the rainforest, according to the INPE, a number experts call a dramatic, direct consequence of farmers' widespread deforestation.

Brazil's Amazon region is in its dry season, but experts note that 2019 has been wetter than previous years -- they also stress that there are no natural fires in the Amazon.

The no-burn decree may have been too little too late, and more of a political than practical gesture, some analysts say.

Deforestation has surged this year as agencies tasked with monitoring illegal activities were weakened by right-wing President Jair Bolsonaro.

Often called the Trump of the Tropics, Bolsonaro has questioned climate change, and argues farmers sometimes need the land for their livelihood.

Since the weekend thousands of troops, firefighters, and aircraft have been deployed, and the defense ministry says the fires are under control.

Bolsonaro claimed in a live Facebook broadcast Thursday "this year's fires are below the average of recent years."

Deforestation for farming is one of the most serious threats to the rainforest and is a problem present in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Peru, Suriname and Venezuela.

Farmers Brazil, Peru, Ecuador and Bolivia commonly set fires in the dry season to clear the undergrowth in deforested areas. However, this often leads to uncontrolled burning, which takes a greater toll on the rainforest.

Much to environmentalists' chagrin, Bolivia's government recently authorized farmers to burn 20 hectares (almost 50 acres) instead of the usual five hectares (12 acres) -- which is believed to have contributed to thousands of wildfires that razed 1.2 million hectares of grassland and forest since May.

Illegal crops also reduce the rainforest, such as Colombian coca cultivation, which covers roughly 170,000 hectares, according to UN data.

Significant damage is also done by illegal mining operations, which is compounded by the use of chemicals such as mercury -- particularly in gold mining -- which contaminates soil and streams.

The number of fires in Brazil's Amazon basin is still on the rise, even though the government has banned burning, officials said Saturday. In the first 48 hours since the ban was issued, satellite data from the National Space Research Institute (INPE) showed 3,859 new outbreaks of fire, of which some 2,000 were concentrated in the Amazon region.

The number of fires in Brazil's Amazon basin is still on the rise, even though the government has banned burning, officials said Saturday. In the first 48 hours since the ban was issued, satellite data from the National Space Research Institute (INPE) showed 3,859 new outbreaks of fire, of which some 2,000 were concentrated in the Amazon region. From January to the end of August, 51.9 per cent of Brazil's recorded 88,816 fires were in the rainforest, according to the INPE, a number experts call a dramatic, direct consequence of farmers' widespread deforestation. Brazil's Amazon region is in its dry season, but experts note that 2019 has been wetter than previous years -- they also stress that there are no natural fires in the Amazon. The no-burn decree may have been too little too late, and more of a political than practical gesture, some analysts say. Deforestation has surged this year as agencies tasked with monitoring illegal activities were weakened by right-wing President Jair Bolsonaro. Often called the Trump of the Tropics, Bolsonaro has questioned climate change, and argues farmers sometimes need the land for their livelihood. Since the weekend thousands of troops, firefighters, and aircraft have been deployed, and the defense ministry says the fires are under control. Bolsonaro claimed in a live Facebook broadcast Thursday "this year's fires are below the average of recent years." Deforestation for farming is one of the most serious threats to the rainforest and is a problem present in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Peru, Suriname and Venezuela. Farmers Brazil, Peru, Ecuador and Bolivia commonly set fires in the dry season to clear the undergrowth in deforested areas. However, this often leads to uncontrolled burning, which takes a greater toll on the rainforest. Much to environmentalists' chagrin, Bolivia's government recently authorized farmers to burn 20 hectares (almost 50 acres) instead of the usual five hectares (12 acres) -- which is believed to have contributed to thousands of wildfires that razed 1.2 million hectares of grassland and forest since May. Illegal crops also reduce the rainforest, such as Colombian coca cultivation, which covers roughly 170,000 hectares, according to UN data. Significant damage is also done by illegal mining operations, which is compounded by the use of chemicals such as mercury -- particularly in gold mining -- which contaminates soil and streams.

Brazil's Amazon basin fires keep surging

Ireland may vote to block a trade deal between the EU and South American nations if Brazil fails to<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/un-chief-calls-for-protection-of-amazon-rainforest-says-cant-afford-more-damage-to-source-of-oxygen-245080"> curb record fires </a>ravaging the Amazon, Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said Friday.

"I am very concerned that this year has seen record levels of destruction of Amazonian forests by fire," he said in a statement.

"There is no way that Ireland will vote for the EU-Mercosur Free Trade Agreement if Brazil does not honour its environmental commitments."&nbsp;

Varadkar added Ireland "will monitor closely Brazil's environmental actions" over the next two years ahead of European Union ratification of the Mercosur deal.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/amazon-rainforests-are-on-fire-destroying-the-lungs-of-the-earth-244927/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Once in force, it will cover markets of 780 million consumers representing a quarter of global gross domestic product.

He also criticised the "Orwellian" stance of Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro of laying the blame for the fires on environmental campaign groups and NGOs.

Bolsonaro has also claimed activist groups are whipping up an "environmental psychosis" in a bid to harm Brazil's economic interests.

Official figures have recorded nearly 73,000 forest fires in Brazil over the first eight months of the year -- the highest number for any year since 2013.&nbsp;

The majority of the fires were in the Amazon.

Environmental experts say the fires have accompanied a rapid rate of deforestation in the Amazon region.

According to data from the National Institute for Space Research (INPE), the process of deforestation quadrupled this July in comparison to the same month in 2018.

Varadkar's warning came as other world leaders voiced concerns over the fires.

French President Emmanuel Macron labelled it "an international crisis" and called on the G7 to address the matter at their weekend summit, while UN chief Antonio Guterres said he was "deeply concerned".

"Our house is on fire. Literally. The Amazon, the lung of our planet which produces 20 per cent of our oxygen is burning," Macron said on Twitter.&nbsp;

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Our house is burning. Literally. The Amazon rain forest - the lungs which produces 20% of our planet’s oxygen - is on fire. It is an international crisis. Members of the G7 Summit, let's discuss this emergency first order in two days! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ActForTheAmazon?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ActForTheAmazon</a> <a href="https://t.co/dogOJj9big">pic.twitter.com/dogOJj9big</a>
— Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) <a href="https://twitter.com/EmmanuelMacron/status/1164617008962527232?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 22, 2019</a></blockquote>
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In Ireland, Varadkar is already facing pressure over the Mercosur deal from the agriculture industry, particularly beef farmers.

They fear their sector -&nbsp;already experiencing turbulence due to Brexit -&nbsp;will be undercut by opening EU markets to 99,000 tonnes of South American beef imports each year under the terms of the pact. 
&nbsp;

Ireland may vote to block a trade deal between the EU and South American nations if Brazil fails to curb record fires ravaging the Amazon, Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said Friday.

Ireland may vote to block a trade deal between the EU and South American nations if Brazil fails to curb record fires ravaging the Amazon, Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said Friday. "I am very concerned that this year has seen record levels of destruction of Amazonian forests by fire," he said in a statement. "There is no way that Ireland will vote for the EU-Mercosur Free Trade Agreement if Brazil does not honour its environmental commitments." Varadkar added Ireland "will monitor closely Brazil's environmental actions" over the next two years ahead of European Union ratification of the Mercosur deal. Once in force, it will cover markets of 780 million consumers representing a quarter of global gross domestic product. He also criticised the "Orwellian" stance of Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro of laying the blame for the fires on environmental campaign groups and NGOs. Bolsonaro has also claimed activist groups are whipping up an "environmental psychosis" in a bid to harm Brazil's economic interests. Official figures have recorded nearly 73,000 forest fires in Brazil over the first eight months of the year -- the highest number for any year since 2013. The majority of the fires were in the Amazon. Environmental experts say the fires have accompanied a rapid rate of deforestation in the Amazon region. According to data from the National Institute for Space Research (INPE), the process of deforestation quadrupled this July in comparison to the same month in 2018. Varadkar's warning came as other world leaders voiced concerns over the fires. French President Emmanuel Macron labelled it "an international crisis" and called on the G7 to address the matter at their weekend summit, while UN chief Antonio Guterres said he was "deeply concerned". "Our house is on fire. Literally. The Amazon, the lung of our planet which produces 20 per cent of our oxygen is burning," Macron said on Twitter. Our house is burning. Literally. The Amazon rain forest - the lungs which produces 20% of our planet’s oxygen - is on fire. It is an international crisis. Members of the G7 Summit, let's discuss this emergency first order in two days! #ActForTheAmazon pic.twitter.com/dogOJj9big — Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) August 22, 2019 × In Ireland, Varadkar is already facing pressure over the Mercosur deal from the agriculture industry, particularly beef farmers. They fear their sector - already experiencing turbulence due to Brexit - will be undercut by opening EU markets to 99,000 tonnes of South American beef imports each year under the terms of the pact.

Now, Ireland may block EU-Mercosur deal over Amazon fire

Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro said on Friday he is considering deploying the army to help combat fires in the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/now-ireland-may-block-eu-mercosur-deal-over-amazon-fire-245087">Amazon rainforest</a>, amid growing international pressure over the wildfires.

The fires raging in parts of the world's largest rainforest have sparked protests around the world, ignited a war of words between Bolsonaro and his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron, and threatened a blockbuster trade deal with the European Union.

The latest official figures show 76,720 forest fires were recorded in Brazil so far this year - the highest number for any year since 2013. More than half are in the Amazon.

"The tendency is that," Bolsonaro told reporters in Brazil's capital Brasilia when asked if he was considering sending the army to fight the fires.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe src="http://13.235.153.162/videos/amazons-mura-tribe-vows-to-protect-sacred-land-245065/embed" width="560" height="350" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" autoplay=1 allowfullscreen></iframe></div>

A decision would be made Friday morning, he added.

Bolsonaro's remarks come as demonstrations are held around the world over the fires in the Amazon forest, a region considered the "lungs of the planet" and seen as crucial to keeping climate change in check.&nbsp;

Protests are planned in Brazil's major cities later on Friday.&nbsp;

In an escalating public row over the blazes, Macron on Friday accused Bolsonaro of lying to him on Brazil's stance on climate change.&nbsp;

France would now block a trade deal between the European Union and the South American trade bloc Mercosur, which includes Brazil, a French presidential official said.&nbsp;

Macron had tweeted Thursday that fires burning in the Amazon amount to an international crisis and should be discussed as a top priority when the G7 countries meet this weekend in France.

Bolsonaro then blasted Macron for having a "colonialist mentality."

Ireland also threatened to block the trade deal if Brazil failed to curb the fires, Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said Friday.

"The extent of the fires in the Amazon area is shocking and threatening and not only for Brazil and the other affected countries, but also for the whole world," German Chancellor Angela Merkel's spokesman said Friday.

Environmental specialists say the fires have accompanied a rapid rate of deforestation in the Amazon region, which in July quadrupled compared to the same month in 2018, according to data from Brazil's National Institute for Space Research.

Bolsonaro instead attributes the fires to increased drought, and accuses environmental groups and NGOs of whipping up an "environmental psychosis" to harm Brazil's economic interests.

Neighboring Peru, which contains much of the Amazon basin, announced it was "on alert" for wildfires spreading from neighboring Brazil and Bolivia.

Paraguay and Bolivia are battling separate wildfires that have devastated large areas of their rainforests.

amj/ch

Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro said on Friday he is considering deploying the army to help combat fires in the Amazon rainforest, amid growing international pressure over the wildfires.

Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro said on Friday he is considering deploying the army to help combat fires in the Amazon rainforest, amid growing international pressure over the wildfires. The fires raging in parts of the world's largest rainforest have sparked protests around the world, ignited a war of words between Bolsonaro and his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron, and threatened a blockbuster trade deal with the European Union. The latest official figures show 76,720 forest fires were recorded in Brazil so far this year - the highest number for any year since 2013. More than half are in the Amazon. "The tendency is that," Bolsonaro told reporters in Brazil's capital Brasilia when asked if he was considering sending the army to fight the fires. A decision would be made Friday morning, he added. Bolsonaro's remarks come as demonstrations are held around the world over the fires in the Amazon forest, a region considered the "lungs of the planet" and seen as crucial to keeping climate change in check. Protests are planned in Brazil's major cities later on Friday. In an escalating public row over the blazes, Macron on Friday accused Bolsonaro of lying to him on Brazil's stance on climate change. France would now block a trade deal between the European Union and the South American trade bloc Mercosur, which includes Brazil, a French presidential official said. Macron had tweeted Thursday that fires burning in the Amazon amount to an international crisis and should be discussed as a top priority when the G7 countries meet this weekend in France. Bolsonaro then blasted Macron for having a "colonialist mentality." Ireland also threatened to block the trade deal if Brazil failed to curb the fires, Prime Minister Leo Varadkar said Friday. "The extent of the fires in the Amazon area is shocking and threatening and not only for Brazil and the other affected countries, but also for the whole world," German Chancellor Angela Merkel's spokesman said Friday. Environmental specialists say the fires have accompanied a rapid rate of deforestation in the Amazon region, which in July quadrupled compared to the same month in 2018, according to data from Brazil's National Institute for Space Research. Bolsonaro instead attributes the fires to increased drought, and accuses environmental groups and NGOs of whipping up an "environmental psychosis" to harm Brazil's economic interests. Neighboring Peru, which contains much of the Amazon basin, announced it was "on alert" for wildfires spreading from neighboring Brazil and Bolivia. Paraguay and Bolivia are battling separate wildfires that have devastated large areas of their rainforests. amj/ch

Brazil President Bolsonaro mulls deploying army to combat Amazon fires

Bollywood celebrities have come together to raise their voice for the Amazon rainforests in Brazil as they have been engulfed in multiple fires for the past three weeks.&nbsp;

Home to a variety of flora and fauna, several acres of rainforest has been lost already with a lot of loss to natural resources. This is not, however, the first time that Amazon has come under scanner as there have been reportedly 72,843 fires in this year alone out of which half of them have been reported from the Amazon itself.&nbsp;

Among the firsts to write on the issue was Alia Bhatt who wrote, "The `lungs of our planet` are burning! The Amazon Rainforest is home to about 3 Mn species of plants &amp; animals and 1 Mn indigenous people. It plays an important role in keeping the planet`s carbon dioxide levels in check. We won`t exist without it! #SaveTheAmazon #PrayforAmazonas."

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The 'lungs of our planet' are burning! The <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AmazonRainforest?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AmazonRainforest</a> is home to about 3 Mn species of plants &amp; animals and 1 Mn indigenous people. It plays an important role in keeping the planet's carbon dioxide levels in check. We won't exist without it! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SaveTheAmazon?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SaveTheAmazon</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PrayforAmazonas?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PrayforAmazonas</a> <a href="https://t.co/9rKfTYXolL">https://t.co/9rKfTYXolL</a>
— Alia Bhatt (@aliaa08) <a href="https://twitter.com/aliaa08/status/1164425873874833409?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 22, 2019</a></blockquote>
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Akshay Kumar also spoke about the issue and tweeted, “Been seeing heart-breaking &amp; alarming pictures of the Amazon rainforest which has been on fire since more than 2 weeks!It is responsible for 20% of the world’s oxygen.This affects each one of us...the earth may survive climate change but we won’t. #SaveTheAmazon #PrayForTheAmazon.”

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Been seeing heart-breaking &amp; alarming pictures of the Amazon rainforest which has been on fire since more than 2 weeks!It is responsible for 20% of the world’s oxygen.This affects each one of us...the earth may survive climate change but we won’t. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SaveTheAmazon?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SaveTheAmazon</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PrayForTheAmazon?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PrayForTheAmazon</a>
— Akshay Kumar (@akshaykumar) <a href="https://twitter.com/akshaykumar/status/1164448440581087237?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 22, 2019</a></blockquote>
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Anushka Sharma who is also an animal lover urged world media to pay more attention to the issue."The Amazon rainforest has been burning for weeks and we are only just finding out this!! This is such scary news! Amazon forests are the lungs of this already suffering planet and they are on fire now! I wish this got more importance from world media!!" she wrote on Instagram story.

Actress Dia Mirza who is an environment enthusiast and is a part of several campaigns associated with the same issue wrote, "Earth`s lungs have been on fire for the last 16 days. 72000 have been recorded only this year in the Amazon. Climate Change in REAL.”

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Deniers of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ClimateChange?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ClimateChange</a> our cities are now shrouded in darkness by the fires caused by your denial! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ClimateChangeIsReal?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ClimateChangeIsReal</a> The Amazon forest (Earth’s lungs) have been on fire for the last 16 days and 72000 fires have occurred this year. <a href="https://t.co/GjBIVuXgIh">https://t.co/GjBIVuXgIh</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PrayforAmazonas?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PrayforAmazonas</a>
— Dia Mirza (@deespeak) <a href="https://twitter.com/deespeak/status/1164197919479648256?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 21, 2019</a></blockquote>
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Meanwhile, Richa Chaddha also tweeted to raise awareness and wrote, "We`ve lost our home to corporate greed... a phrase like `climate change` which didn`t feature in anyone`s dictionary till a few decades ago, will now be responsible for our extinction.”

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We’ve lost our home to corporate greed... a phrase like ‘climate change’ which didn’t feature in anyone’s dictionary till a few decades ago, will now be responsible for our extinction. 
Thread : <a href="https://t.co/qJgWilGx6x">https://t.co/qJgWilGx6x</a>
— TheRichaChadha (@RichaChadha) <a href="https://twitter.com/RichaChadha/status/1164384937287589888?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 22, 2019</a></blockquote>
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Other celebrities including Sonam Kapoor, Esha Gupta, Ishaan Khatter, Kajal Aggrawal, Bipasha Basu also asserted that “climate Change is real”.

The photographs of the fires have been taking the internet like wildfire literally with now many Hollywood and Bollywood celebs coming out to talk about it.

Bollywood celebrities have come together to raise their voice for the Amazon rainforests in Brazil as they have been engulfed in multiple fires for the past three weeks.

Bollywood celebrities have come together to raise their voice for the Amazon rainforests in Brazil as they have been engulfed in multiple fires for the past three weeks. Home to a variety of flora and fauna, several acres of rainforest has been lost already with a lot of loss to natural resources. This is not, however, the first time that Amazon has come under scanner as there have been reportedly 72,843 fires in this year alone out of which half of them have been reported from the Amazon itself. Among the firsts to write on the issue was Alia Bhatt who wrote, "The `lungs of our planet` are burning! The Amazon Rainforest is home to about 3 Mn species of plants & animals and 1 Mn indigenous people. It plays an important role in keeping the planet`s carbon dioxide levels in check. We won`t exist without it! #SaveTheAmazon #PrayforAmazonas." The 'lungs of our planet' are burning! The #AmazonRainforest is home to about 3 Mn species of plants & animals and 1 Mn indigenous people. It plays an important role in keeping the planet's carbon dioxide levels in check. We won't exist without it! #SaveTheAmazon #PrayforAmazonas https://t.co/9rKfTYXolL — Alia Bhatt (@aliaa08) August 22, 2019 × Akshay Kumar also spoke about the issue and tweeted, “Been seeing heart-breaking & alarming pictures of the Amazon rainforest which has been on fire since more than 2 weeks!It is responsible for 20% of the world’s oxygen.This affects each one of us...the earth may survive climate change but we won’t. #SaveTheAmazon #PrayForTheAmazon.” Been seeing heart-breaking & alarming pictures of the Amazon rainforest which has been on fire since more than 2 weeks!It is responsible for 20% of the world’s oxygen.This affects each one of us...the earth may survive climate change but we won’t. #SaveTheAmazon #PrayForTheAmazon — Akshay Kumar (@akshaykumar) August 22, 2019 × Anushka Sharma who is also an animal lover urged world media to pay more attention to the issue."The Amazon rainforest has been burning for weeks and we are only just finding out this!! This is such scary news! Amazon forests are the lungs of this already suffering planet and they are on fire now! I wish this got more importance from world media!!" she wrote on Instagram story. Actress Dia Mirza who is an environment enthusiast and is a part of several campaigns associated with the same issue wrote, "Earth`s lungs have been on fire for the last 16 days. 72000 have been recorded only this year in the Amazon. Climate Change in REAL.” Deniers of #ClimateChange our cities are now shrouded in darkness by the fires caused by your denial! #ClimateChangeIsReal The Amazon forest (Earth’s lungs) have been on fire for the last 16 days and 72000 fires have occurred this year. https://t.co/GjBIVuXgIh #PrayforAmazonas — Dia Mirza (@deespeak) August 21, 2019 × Meanwhile, Richa Chaddha also tweeted to raise awareness and wrote, "We`ve lost our home to corporate greed... a phrase like `climate change` which didn`t feature in anyone`s dictionary till a few decades ago, will now be responsible for our extinction.” We’ve lost our home to corporate greed... a phrase like ‘climate change’ which didn’t feature in anyone’s dictionary till a few decades ago, will now be responsible for our extinction. Thread : https://t.co/qJgWilGx6x — TheRichaChadha (@RichaChadha) August 22, 2019 × Other celebrities including Sonam Kapoor, Esha Gupta, Ishaan Khatter, Kajal Aggrawal, Bipasha Basu also asserted that “climate Change is real”. The photographs of the fires have been taking the internet like wildfire literally with now many Hollywood and Bollywood celebs coming out to talk about it.

Akshay Kumar, Alia Bhatt and other B-Town stars raise their voice for Amazon forest fires

NASA in a report has said that its high-resolution satellites have shown that the world "is literally a greener place than it was 20 years ago" due to two emerging countries with the world’s biggest populations - China and India- leading in "greening on land".

The <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/2018-was-fourth-warmest-year-since-1880-nasa-195681">space agency made the discovery</a> with the help of two powerful&nbsp;satellites known as Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer, or MODIS which revealed an increase in "leaf area on plants and trees equivalent to the area covered by all the Amazon rainforests."

"There are now more than two million square miles of extra green leaf area per year, compared to the early 2000s – a&nbsp; 5 per cent increase," the report asserted.

<img alt="NASA image" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="52ce1efe-820e-4d9b-9108-07e73f6c9729" src="/sites/default/files/inline-images/NAASA.jpg" />

The author of the study, Chi Chen of the Department of Earth and Environment at Boston University, in Massachusetts, said: "China and India account for one-third of the greening, but contain only 9 per cent of the planet’s land area covered in vegetation – a surprising finding, considering the general notion of land degradation in populous countries from overexploitation."

The report pointed out that although the land area used to grow crops hadn't changed since 2000's in China and India which was "more than 770,000 square miles" but the regions had increased both its "annual total green leaf area" and food production.

The<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/nasa-space-probe-phones-home-in-landmark-mission-to-solar-systems-edge-187869"> international space agency</a> said the 'greening trend'&nbsp;India was caused due to several factors namely food production grew&nbsp;due to increased groundwater irrigation.

"If the groundwater is depleted, this trend may change," the report cautioned.

The space body said China’s "outsized contribution" to the global greening trend at 42 per cent comes in large part from programs to "conserve and expand forests".

"82 per cent of greening seen in India comes from intensive cultivation of food crops," the report claimed.

The report credited increased greening in India and China to "multiple cropping practices" when a field is "replanted" to produce harvest several times in a year.

"Production of grains, vegetables, fruits and more have increased by about 35-40 per cent since 2000 to feed their large populations," NASA noted.

NASA in a report has said that its high-resolution satellites have shown that the world "is literally a greener place than it was 20 years ago" due to two emerging countries with the world’s biggest populations - China and India- leading in "greening on land".

NASA in a report has said that its high-resolution satellites have shown that the world "is literally a greener place than it was 20 years ago" due to two emerging countries with the world’s biggest populations - China and India- leading in "greening on land". The space agency made the discovery with the help of two powerful satellites known as Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer, or MODIS which revealed an increase in "leaf area on plants and trees equivalent to the area covered by all the Amazon rainforests." "There are now more than two million square miles of extra green leaf area per year, compared to the early 2000s – a 5 per cent increase," the report asserted. The author of the study, Chi Chen of the Department of Earth and Environment at Boston University, in Massachusetts, said: "China and India account for one-third of the greening, but contain only 9 per cent of the planet’s land area covered in vegetation – a surprising finding, considering the general notion of land degradation in populous countries from overexploitation." The report pointed out that although the land area used to grow crops hadn't changed since 2000's in China and India which was "more than 770,000 square miles" but the regions had increased both its "annual total green leaf area" and food production. The international space agency said the 'greening trend' India was caused due to several factors namely food production grew due to increased groundwater irrigation. "If the groundwater is depleted, this trend may change," the report cautioned. The space body said China’s "outsized contribution" to the global greening trend at 42 per cent comes in large part from programs to "conserve and expand forests". "82 per cent of greening seen in India comes from intensive cultivation of food crops," the report claimed. The report credited increased greening in India and China to "multiple cropping practices" when a field is "replanted" to produce harvest several times in a year. "Production of grains, vegetables, fruits and more have increased by about 35-40 per cent since 2000 to feed their large populations," NASA noted.

China, India have helped in greening of Earth: NASA report

By Anthony Pereira

The inauguration of Brazil’s new president, Jair Bolsonaro, has triggered fears that rates of deforestation in the Amazon will increase. There are indeed good reasons for concern about Bolsonaro’s administration. But several factors, both domestic and transnational, could constrain its ability to wreak environmental damage.

First, some bad news: Bolsonaro and his cabinet do seem to view environmental concerns as an obstacle to development. For instance, the new environment minister, Ricardo Salles, said that the debate over climate change was a “secondary issue” and was recently convicted in court of fraudulently favouring mining companies when he was state secretary for the environment in São Paulo. Under Salles’ leadership, the ministry will probably suffer budget cuts, and it has already lost key departments.

Furthermore, Bolsonaro has said he wants to restrict the ability of IBAMA, the forest protection agency, to fine individuals and companies that illegally deforest and pollute. And, while the rate of deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon fell overall by roughly 75 per cent between 2004 and 2017, it has gone back up again even before Bolsonaro took office. Between August 2017 and July 2018, deforestation increased by an estimated 13.7 per cent.

Bolsonaro also recently tweeted that he wants to free Brazilian agribusiness from dependence on imported fertiliser (75% comes from abroad). However, mining the ingredients in Brazil could do further environmental damage. For example, the largest recently discovered deposit of potassium, used to make fertiliser, is on the banks of the River Madeira in the Amazon.

The new president also appears to favour more dam-building (there are proposals to build 334 dams in the Amazon). He also backed away from the previous commitment of the Brazilian government to host the next UN climate conference later this year. And, on his first day in office, Bolsonaro signed a provisional measure transferring authority to demarcate indigenous lands from the justice ministry to the agriculture ministry, thereby making it highly likely that – as he promised – no new indigenous reserves will be created on his watch.

Brazil’s environmental movement 
 
Bolsonaro does face some constraints. The new president speaks as if agribusiness and the protection of the environment are incompatible – and appears to want to sacrifice the environment for farming, mining and logging. But other voices will have a say, and at least some heed will be given to the view that sustainable agriculture which preserves biodiversity is better both for Brazil’s development prospects and for the world’s climate.

Before his inauguration, Bolsonaro said that he wanted to subordinate the environment ministry to the agriculture ministry. He was persuaded to drop this idea, due in part to criticisms from environmental NGOs and federal civil servants in environmental agencies. Some agricultural interests even spoke out, because they fear that their international image and access to markets, especially the European Union, could be damaged by being associated with deforestation.

Brazil also has an environmental movement that is as old as its counterparts in Europe and North America. It was the strength of this movement that ensured the country’s 1988 constitution has several ecological safeguards in place, including conservation areas, indigenous reserves and the environmental licensing system. José Lutzenberger, an environmental pioneer and former environment minister, helped to organise the Eco 92 conference in Rio and demarcate the huge Yanomami indigenous reserve.

The Rio conference was part of a process that eventually led to the 2015 Paris Agreement, where Brazilian participation was important. And, in his last days in office, outgoing president Michel Temer delivered a report to his successor that recommended that Brazil stay in the Paris Agreement and pursue the goal of achieving a zero-carbon economy by 2060.

Pressure from overseas 
 
External actors can also pressure the Bolsonaro administration. For example, the government of Norway has contributed 93 per cnt of the money disbursed by the Amazon Fund to 102 different projects, amounting to hundreds of millions of dollars. These funds provide incentives to enforce environmental laws and create sustainable livelihoods in the rainforest.

Norway’s contributions are tied to maintaining rates of deforestation to specified limits, a fact Temer was reminded of by his hosts on a visit to Oslo in June 2017.

Pay attention to facts on the ground 
 
The Bolsonaro administration is likely to move quietly to achieve some of its objectives. In addition to weakening the environment ministry, it could informally signal to state governors and congressional delegations that the laws regarding deforestation will no longer be rigorously enforced. Observers, therefore, have to be attentive to facts on the ground. Civil society organisations and journalists in the Amazon working for publications such as InfoAmazonia and O Eco are particularly good sources of information. There is some transnational support for these journalists. For example, the Pulitzer Centre is administering a Rainforest Journalism Fund, financed by the Norwegian government, which gives grants to journalists reporting on deforestation.

Brazil’s foreign minister Ernesto Araújo claims that initiatives such as the 2015 Paris Agreement are liberal, “globalist” and part of a gigantic “cultural Marxist” propaganda machine. From this perspective, international NGOs and foreign states are violating Brazilian sovereignty by interfering in the Amazon.

But this is a smokescreen. In the Paris Agreement, the Brazilian government voluntarily committed to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 37 per cent by 2025 and 43 per cent by 2030, with 2005 as the baseline year. The Brazilian Climate Change Forum that produced this commitment had input from 340 different government entities, businesses, NGOs, and academics. And the country already has various advantages when it comes to making the transition to a low-carbon economy, including relatively clean energy and 60m hectares of degraded pasture land that could be reforested.

Preserving the Amazon rainforest is of fundamental importance to the planet, and there are many people in Brazil who want to do that. They reject the notion that development and environmental protection are mutually exclusive, and support reorienting the Amazonian economy towards sustainable livelihoods. It remains to be seen whether their vision will prevail in the years to come. 
 
(Anthony Pereira is Director, King's Brazil Institute, King's College London)

(This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/jair-bolsonaro-can-be-stopped-from-trashing-the-amazon-heres-how-109346">original article</a>)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

&nbsp;

By Anthony Pereira The inauguration of Brazil’s new president, Jair Bolsonaro, has triggered fears that rates of deforestation in the Amazon will increase. There are indeed good reasons for concern about Bolsonaro’s administration.

By Anthony Pereira The inauguration of Brazil’s new president, Jair Bolsonaro, has triggered fears that rates of deforestation in the Amazon will increase. There are indeed good reasons for concern about Bolsonaro’s administration. But several factors, both domestic and transnational, could constrain its ability to wreak environmental damage. First, some bad news: Bolsonaro and his cabinet do seem to view environmental concerns as an obstacle to development. For instance, the new environment minister, Ricardo Salles, said that the debate over climate change was a “secondary issue” and was recently convicted in court of fraudulently favouring mining companies when he was state secretary for the environment in São Paulo. Under Salles’ leadership, the ministry will probably suffer budget cuts, and it has already lost key departments. Furthermore, Bolsonaro has said he wants to restrict the ability of IBAMA, the forest protection agency, to fine individuals and companies that illegally deforest and pollute. And, while the rate of deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon fell overall by roughly 75 per cent between 2004 and 2017, it has gone back up again even before Bolsonaro took office. Between August 2017 and July 2018, deforestation increased by an estimated 13.7 per cent. Bolsonaro also recently tweeted that he wants to free Brazilian agribusiness from dependence on imported fertiliser (75% comes from abroad). However, mining the ingredients in Brazil could do further environmental damage. For example, the largest recently discovered deposit of potassium, used to make fertiliser, is on the banks of the River Madeira in the Amazon. The new president also appears to favour more dam-building (there are proposals to build 334 dams in the Amazon). He also backed away from the previous commitment of the Brazilian government to host the next UN climate conference later this year. And, on his first day in office, Bolsonaro signed a provisional measure transferring authority to demarcate indigenous lands from the justice ministry to the agriculture ministry, thereby making it highly likely that – as he promised – no new indigenous reserves will be created on his watch. Brazil’s environmental movement Bolsonaro does face some constraints. The new president speaks as if agribusiness and the protection of the environment are incompatible – and appears to want to sacrifice the environment for farming, mining and logging. But other voices will have a say, and at least some heed will be given to the view that sustainable agriculture which preserves biodiversity is better both for Brazil’s development prospects and for the world’s climate. Before his inauguration, Bolsonaro said that he wanted to subordinate the environment ministry to the agriculture ministry. He was persuaded to drop this idea, due in part to criticisms from environmental NGOs and federal civil servants in environmental agencies. Some agricultural interests even spoke out, because they fear that their international image and access to markets, especially the European Union, could be damaged by being associated with deforestation. Brazil also has an environmental movement that is as old as its counterparts in Europe and North America. It was the strength of this movement that ensured the country’s 1988 constitution has several ecological safeguards in place, including conservation areas, indigenous reserves and the environmental licensing system. José Lutzenberger, an environmental pioneer and former environment minister, helped to organise the Eco 92 conference in Rio and demarcate the huge Yanomami indigenous reserve. The Rio conference was part of a process that eventually led to the 2015 Paris Agreement, where Brazilian participation was important. And, in his last days in office, outgoing president Michel Temer delivered a report to his successor that recommended that Brazil stay in the Paris Agreement and pursue the goal of achieving a zero-carbon economy by 2060. Pressure from overseas External actors can also pressure the Bolsonaro administration. For example, the government of Norway has contributed 93 per cnt of the money disbursed by the Amazon Fund to 102 different projects, amounting to hundreds of millions of dollars. These funds provide incentives to enforce environmental laws and create sustainable livelihoods in the rainforest. Norway’s contributions are tied to maintaining rates of deforestation to specified limits, a fact Temer was reminded of by his hosts on a visit to Oslo in June 2017. Pay attention to facts on the ground The Bolsonaro administration is likely to move quietly to achieve some of its objectives. In addition to weakening the environment ministry, it could informally signal to state governors and congressional delegations that the laws regarding deforestation will no longer be rigorously enforced. Observers, therefore, have to be attentive to facts on the ground. Civil society organisations and journalists in the Amazon working for publications such as InfoAmazonia and O Eco are particularly good sources of information. There is some transnational support for these journalists. For example, the Pulitzer Centre is administering a Rainforest Journalism Fund, financed by the Norwegian government, which gives grants to journalists reporting on deforestation. Brazil’s foreign minister Ernesto Araújo claims that initiatives such as the 2015 Paris Agreement are liberal, “globalist” and part of a gigantic “cultural Marxist” propaganda machine. From this perspective, international NGOs and foreign states are violating Brazilian sovereignty by interfering in the Amazon. But this is a smokescreen. In the Paris Agreement, the Brazilian government voluntarily committed to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 37 per cent by 2025 and 43 per cent by 2030, with 2005 as the baseline year. The Brazilian Climate Change Forum that produced this commitment had input from 340 different government entities, businesses, NGOs, and academics. And the country already has various advantages when it comes to making the transition to a low-carbon economy, including relatively clean energy and 60m hectares of degraded pasture land that could be reforested. Preserving the Amazon rainforest is of fundamental importance to the planet, and there are many people in Brazil who want to do that. They reject the notion that development and environmental protection are mutually exclusive, and support reorienting the Amazonian economy towards sustainable livelihoods. It remains to be seen whether their vision will prevail in the years to come. (Anthony Pereira is Director, King's Brazil Institute, King's College London) (This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro has got the environmentalists worried

Amazon.com Inc on Monday opens a rainforest-like office space in Seattle that it hopes will spark new ideas for employees.

While cities across North America are seeking to host Seattle-based Amazon&#39;s second headquarters, the world&#39;s largest online retailer is still expanding its main campus. Company office towers and high-end eateries have taken the place of warehouses and parking lots in Seattle`s South Lake Union district. The Spheres complex, officially open to workers on Tuesday, is the pinnacle of a decade of development here.

The Spheres` three glass domes house some 40,000 plants of 400 species. Amazon, famous for its demanding work culture, hopes the Spheres` lush environs will let employees reflect and have chance encounters, spawning new products or plans.

The space is more like a greenhouse than a typical office. Instead of enclosed conference rooms or desks, there are walkways and unconventional meeting spaces with chairs.

Amazon has invested $3.7 billion on buildings and infrastructure in Seattle from 2010 to summer 2017, a figure that has public officials competing for its &quot;HQ2&quot; salivating. Amazon has said it expects to invest more than $5 billion in construction of HQ2 and to create as many as 50,000 jobs.

Earlier this month, the online retailer narrowed 238 applications for its second headquarters to 20. The finalists, from Boston and New York to Austin, Texas, largely fit the bill of being big metropolises that can attract highly educated tech talent.

Amazon started the frenzied HQ2 contest last summer and plans to pick a winner later this year.

Seattle`s mayor, the governor of Washington and Amazon`s top real estate executive were expected to speak during the Spheres` opening ceremony. The Spheres will become part of Amazon`s guided campus tours, and members of the public can also visit an exhibit at the Spheres by appointment starting Tuesday.

The Spheres` three glass domes house some 40,000 plants of 400 species

Amazon.com Inc on Monday opens a rainforest-like office space in Seattle that it hopes will spark new ideas for employees. While cities across North America are seeking to host Seattle-based Amazon's second headquarters, the world's largest online retailer is still expanding its main campus. Company office towers and high-end eateries have taken the place of warehouses and parking lots in Seattle`s South Lake Union district. The Spheres complex, officially open to workers on Tuesday, is the pinnacle of a decade of development here. The Spheres` three glass domes house some 40,000 plants of 400 species. Amazon, famous for its demanding work culture, hopes the Spheres` lush environs will let employees reflect and have chance encounters, spawning new products or plans. The space is more like a greenhouse than a typical office. Instead of enclosed conference rooms or desks, there are walkways and unconventional meeting spaces with chairs. Amazon has invested $3.7 billion on buildings and infrastructure in Seattle from 2010 to summer 2017, a figure that has public officials competing for its "HQ2" salivating. Amazon has said it expects to invest more than $5 billion in construction of HQ2 and to create as many as 50,000 jobs. Earlier this month, the online retailer narrowed 238 applications for its second headquarters to 20. The finalists, from Boston and New York to Austin, Texas, largely fit the bill of being big metropolises that can attract highly educated tech talent. Amazon started the frenzied HQ2 contest last summer and plans to pick a winner later this year. Seattle`s mayor, the governor of Washington and Amazon`s top real estate executive were expected to speak during the Spheres` opening ceremony. The Spheres will become part of Amazon`s guided campus tours, and members of the public can also visit an exhibit at the Spheres by appointment starting Tuesday.

Amazon.com opens its own rainforest in Seattle

A sharp increase in forest fires stoked record losses in global forest cover equivalent to the area of New Zealand in 2016, a Global Forest Watch report has said.

The alarming pace of destruction of 51% higher than the prior year with a loss of 73.4 million acres (29.7 million hectares), according to data from the University of Maryland&nbsp;was partially due to climate change that has increased the risks and intensity of wildfires by triggering temperature rise and drought in some places, the monitor said yesterday.

The 2015-2016 weather phenomenon El Nino, one of the strongest on record, also played a role, having created particularly dry conditions in the tropics. Many of those tropical areas are not naturally prone to catching fire&nbsp;but vulnerability increased due to poor management and was exacerbated by El Nino.

Deadly blazes in Brazil and Indonesia were among those contributing to the loss. This year, deadly blazes have again devastated regions of Portugal as well as California.

Brazil&#39;s Amazon region lost 9.1 million acres of tree cover more than three times that of 2015. And Portugal saw some 4% of its forests go up in smoke in 2016, the highest proportion of any other country.

Nearly half of all forests burned in the European Union in 2016 were in Portugal, where fire-prone eucalyptus and pine plantations along with poor soil encouraged the deadly flames.

The country is set to break the record for destroyed forests in 2017, with recent disasters killing dozens of people.

Early 2016 saw one of the largest fires ever recorded in Central Africa, destroying 37,000 acres of forest in the Republic of Congo.

Last year&#39;s Fort McMurray fire in Canada ravaged more than 1.5 million acres, causing $8.8 billion in damage.

Deforestation resulting from agriculture, logging and mining also contributed to the losses.

The report urged improving fire and forest management, including early warning systems, fire bans during dry seasons and more augmented investment in forest protection and restoration.

A sharp increase in forest fires stoked record losses in global forest cover equivalent to the area of New Zealand in 2016

A sharp increase in forest fires stoked record losses in global forest cover equivalent to the area of New Zealand in 2016, a Global Forest Watch report has said. The alarming pace of destruction of 51% higher than the prior year with a loss of 73.4 million acres (29.7 million hectares), according to data from the University of Maryland was partially due to climate change that has increased the risks and intensity of wildfires by triggering temperature rise and drought in some places, the monitor said yesterday. The 2015-2016 weather phenomenon El Nino, one of the strongest on record, also played a role, having created particularly dry conditions in the tropics. Many of those tropical areas are not naturally prone to catching fire but vulnerability increased due to poor management and was exacerbated by El Nino. Deadly blazes in Brazil and Indonesia were among those contributing to the loss. This year, deadly blazes have again devastated regions of Portugal as well as California. Brazil's Amazon region lost 9.1 million acres of tree cover more than three times that of 2015. And Portugal saw some 4% of its forests go up in smoke in 2016, the highest proportion of any other country. Nearly half of all forests burned in the European Union in 2016 were in Portugal, where fire-prone eucalyptus and pine plantations along with poor soil encouraged the deadly flames. The country is set to break the record for destroyed forests in 2017, with recent disasters killing dozens of people. Early 2016 saw one of the largest fires ever recorded in Central Africa, destroying 37,000 acres of forest in the Republic of Congo. Last year's Fort McMurray fire in Canada ravaged more than 1.5 million acres, causing $8.8 billion in damage. Deforestation resulting from agriculture, logging and mining also contributed to the losses. The report urged improving fire and forest management, including early warning systems, fire bans during dry seasons and more augmented investment in forest protection and restoration.

Forest fires contributed to record global tree cover loss: Report

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