Three of the world’s largest central banks have been accused of financing agri-business giants that are engaged in the destruction of the climate change-sensitive Amazon rainforest in Brazil.

WION Climate Tracker | Report: World's central banks financing destruction of Amazon rainforest

Amazon rainforest are called the lungs of the planet and rightly so as they produce 80% of the total oxygen in Earth's atmosphere. The Amazon rainforest is the world's richest and most varied biological reservoir, home to several million species of plants, birds animals insects and other diverse life-forms.

WION Climate Tracker: A devastating burning season for Amazon forest

The Amazon is being weakened by illegal logging, mining. Calling out the government for better protection of indigenous reserves in the rainforest, the indigenous people representing a cross-section of the native amazon tribes rallied in Sao Paulo.

WION Climate Tracker | Brazil indigenous communities urge better rainforest protection

Let us take a look at stories generating interest across WION's social media channels.

Trending on WION | Last member of Indigenous tribe dies in Brazil's Amazon rainforest

An unidentified indigenous man, who was thought to be the last member of his tribe in the Amazon, passed away and his death has resulted in a lot of discussion among activists. A number of people who work towards the conservation of arts and languages lamented the loss of an entire line of Brazilian Amazon tribes and contemplated the impact that this loss will have on overall culture.

According to The Guardian, the indigenous man was known as Índio do Buraco, or the “Indigenous man of the hole”. He did not have any contact with the outside world and any attempt to establish contact was met with traps and arrows from the holes that he made near his residence.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/nasas-artemis-i-mission-to-moon-when-and-where-to-watch-the-historic-launch-511005">NASA's Artemis I mission to Moon: When and where to watch the historic launch</a>

“Having endured atrocious massacres and land invasions, rejecting contact with outsiders was his best chance of survival,” said Sarah Shenker, a campaigner at Survival International, said.

“He was the last of his tribe, and so that is one more tribe made extinct – not disappeared, as some people say, it’s much more active and genocidal a process than disappearing.”

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/international-aid-reaches-flood-stricken-pakistan-511096" hreflang="en">International aid reaches flood-stricken Pak; death toll crosses 1000-mark</a>

The man found a lot of coverage in the local media and even featured in a number of documentaries. “He didn’t trust anyone because he had many traumatising experiences with non-Indigenous people,” said Marcelo dos Santos, a retired explorer, told The Guardian.

Right now, there are believed to be less than 300 indigenous tribes are currently there in Brazil and the number is going down slowly. 30 more groups exist but experts have no information on them.

An unidentified indigenous man, who was thought to be the last member of his tribe in the Amazon, passed away and his death has resulted in a lot of discussion among activists.

An unidentified indigenous man, who was thought to be the last member of his tribe in the Amazon, passed away and his death has resulted in a lot of discussion among activists. A number of people who work towards the conservation of arts and languages lamented the loss of an entire line of Brazilian Amazon tribes and contemplated the impact that this loss will have on overall culture. According to The Guardian, the indigenous man was known as Índio do Buraco, or the “Indigenous man of the hole”. He did not have any contact with the outside world and any attempt to establish contact was met with traps and arrows from the holes that he made near his residence. Also read | NASA's Artemis I mission to Moon: When and where to watch the historic launch “Having endured atrocious massacres and land invasions, rejecting contact with outsiders was his best chance of survival,” said Sarah Shenker, a campaigner at Survival International, said. “He was the last of his tribe, and so that is one more tribe made extinct – not disappeared, as some people say, it’s much more active and genocidal a process than disappearing.” Also read | International aid reaches flood-stricken Pak; death toll crosses 1000-mark The man found a lot of coverage in the local media and even featured in a number of documentaries. “He didn’t trust anyone because he had many traumatising experiences with non-Indigenous people,” said Marcelo dos Santos, a retired explorer, told The Guardian. Right now, there are believed to be less than 300 indigenous tribes are currently there in Brazil and the number is going down slowly. 30 more groups exist but experts have no information on them.

‘Man of the hole’: Last member of indigenous tribe dies in Brazil's Amazon rainforest

Causes and consequences of Amazon fires and deforestation

Bolsonaro, climate change, and fires: The story of Amazon rainforest's devastation

The Amazon rainforest continues to burn. The number of fires raging in Brazil's rainforest hit a 15-year high in the month of June. Meanwhile, the rate of deforestation has also surged to record levels.

WION Climate Tracker| Why is the Amazon rainforest burning?

The number of fires burning in Brazil's Amazon jungle reached a 15-year high in June, despite the country's pledge last year to stop deforestation by 2030. The burning season started last month, and the pace of clearing the forest is still rapid. Given that August and September are typically the peak fire months in Brazil, conditions could get worse this month. The largest rainforest in the world is being destroyed due to the following reasons.

What causes the fire?

In the humid, tropical Amazon jungle, fires do not normally erupt like they do in Europe or the US. Instead, to clear land, farmers clear the forests and start fires in the trees, which occasionally get out of control.

Why this time of the year?

In the Amazon, the dry season is at its most intense in August and September, making fires more difficult to put out. Relief often comes with the commencement of the rainy season in October.

Role of climate change

In the past, the virgin rainforest has remained damp all year long and resisted fires. However, rising temperatures and drier conditions brought on by climate change make it more difficult to manage fires.

Worsened since 2019

Yes. Since right-wing President Jair Bolsonaro assumed office in 2019 and pushed to remove environmental laws, forest fires have gotten worse. His administration reduced the funding for environmental organisations, curtailed their ability to fight crime, and hampered the process of issuing environmental fines. According to experts, under Bolsonaro, farmers, ranchers, and land speculators feel free to damage the forest without facing consequences.&nbsp;

According to Bolsonaro, mining and farming should be allowed in protected Amazonian areas in order to combat poverty. His revolutionary approach to preserving the Amazon, which involved using the military to patrol the forest, had no effect on the devastation.

Will this year be any different?

In October, Brazil will have presidential elections. Experts predict that, as it did before the past four elections, as government officials courting votes relaxed environmental regulation, forest devastation will increase before that vote. Former president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, a left-winger who is renowned for taking a more aggressive stance against environmental crime, is currently in the lead. According to analysts, this might encourage an increase in forest crimes as long as Bolsonaro is in power.

Vicious cycle of fire and climate change

Yes. The burning of the remaining forest vegetation causes the majority of the carbon dioxide released during the removal of old-growth trees in the Amazon, which contributes to global warming. Deforestation accounts for around 9% of human-caused CO2 emissions, therefore drastically lowering it is crucial to combating climate change, according to scientists.

According to one analysis from last year, emissions from destroying forests will account for the majority of Brazil's 9.5% increase in greenhouse gas emissions for 2020. Brazil intends to use its forests to produce carbon offsets in order to fulfil its commitments to reduce global emissions. According to research, old-growth rainforests have a much greater capacity to store carbon than newly developed land. According to some estimates, a hectare of virgin forest contains 176 tonnes of carbon, compared to just 5 tonnes or fewer in soy fields or cow pastures, 44 tonnes in newly planted forests within ten years, and 176 tonnes in pristine forests.

(with inputs from agencies) 
&nbsp;

The number of fires burning in Brazil's Amazon jungle reached a 15-year high in June, despite the country's pledge last year to stop deforestation by 2030. The burning season started last month, and the pace of clearing the forest is still rapid.

The number of fires burning in Brazil's Amazon jungle reached a 15-year high in June, despite the country's pledge last year to stop deforestation by 2030. The burning season started last month, and the pace of clearing the forest is still rapid. Given that August and September are typically the peak fire months in Brazil, conditions could get worse this month. The largest rainforest in the world is being destroyed due to the following reasons. What causes the fire? In the humid, tropical Amazon jungle, fires do not normally erupt like they do in Europe or the US. Instead, to clear land, farmers clear the forests and start fires in the trees, which occasionally get out of control. Why this time of the year? In the Amazon, the dry season is at its most intense in August and September, making fires more difficult to put out. Relief often comes with the commencement of the rainy season in October. Role of climate change In the past, the virgin rainforest has remained damp all year long and resisted fires. However, rising temperatures and drier conditions brought on by climate change make it more difficult to manage fires. Worsened since 2019 Yes. Since right-wing President Jair Bolsonaro assumed office in 2019 and pushed to remove environmental laws, forest fires have gotten worse. His administration reduced the funding for environmental organisations, curtailed their ability to fight crime, and hampered the process of issuing environmental fines. According to experts, under Bolsonaro, farmers, ranchers, and land speculators feel free to damage the forest without facing consequences. According to Bolsonaro, mining and farming should be allowed in protected Amazonian areas in order to combat poverty. His revolutionary approach to preserving the Amazon, which involved using the military to patrol the forest, had no effect on the devastation. Will this year be any different? In October, Brazil will have presidential elections. Experts predict that, as it did before the past four elections, as government officials courting votes relaxed environmental regulation, forest devastation will increase before that vote. Former president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, a left-winger who is renowned for taking a more aggressive stance against environmental crime, is currently in the lead. According to analysts, this might encourage an increase in forest crimes as long as Bolsonaro is in power. Vicious cycle of fire and climate change Yes. The burning of the remaining forest vegetation causes the majority of the carbon dioxide released during the removal of old-growth trees in the Amazon, which contributes to global warming. Deforestation accounts for around 9% of human-caused CO2 emissions, therefore drastically lowering it is crucial to combating climate change, according to scientists. According to one analysis from last year, emissions from destroying forests will account for the majority of Brazil's 9.5% increase in greenhouse gas emissions for 2020. Brazil intends to use its forests to produce carbon offsets in order to fulfil its commitments to reduce global emissions. According to research, old-growth rainforests have a much greater capacity to store carbon than newly developed land. According to some estimates, a hectare of virgin forest contains 176 tonnes of carbon, compared to just 5 tonnes or fewer in soy fields or cow pastures, 44 tonnes in newly planted forests within ten years, and 176 tonnes in pristine forests. (with inputs from agencies)

Explained: Vicious cycle of Amazon rainforest fire and climate change in Brazil

The amazon rainforest, famous for its biodiversity and thousands of crisscrossing rivers is the most dense forest. For wildlife research, the most crucial part includes tree climbers but this tree climbing business is quite a risky affair, watch this report!

WION Climate Tracker: The risky business of tree climbers for wildlife research

Deforestation of Brazilian Amazon rainforests has set a new six-month record, said INPE national space agency on Friday. Since the beginning of the year, the world's largest tropical rainforest lost 3750 square kilometres of jungle. This is highest for a six-month period since record keeping began in 2016.&nbsp;

Previous worst reforestation destroyed 3605 square kilometres of jungle. This record was set last year

The new figure does not even include the final six days of June.

This year has seen the worst June in 15 years for forest fires.

Monthly records were also beaten in January and February, when deforestation is usually lower, and in April.

INPE satellites identified more than 2,500 fires in the Amazon last month, the largest number since more than 3,500 were recorded in June 2007, and an 11 percent increase over June 2021.

More than 7,500 fires have been recorded since the start of the year, another 17 percent increase on 2021 and the worst numbers since 2010.

"The dry season has barely begun in the Amazon and already we're beating environmental destruction records," said Cristiane Mazzetti, from Greenpeace Brazil.

Environmentalists and opposition figures accuse the government of President Jair Bolsonaro of implementing policies that encourage big businesses to damage the environment.

(With inputs from agencies)

You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.

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Deforestation of Brazilian Amazon rainforests has set a new six-month record, said INPE national space agency on Friday. Since the beginning of the year, the world's largest tropical rainforest lost 3750 square kilometres of jungle.

Deforestation of Brazilian Amazon rainforests has set a new six-month record, said INPE national space agency on Friday. Since the beginning of the year, the world's largest tropical rainforest lost 3750 square kilometres of jungle. This is highest for a six-month period since record keeping began in 2016. Previous worst reforestation destroyed 3605 square kilometres of jungle. This record was set last year The new figure does not even include the final six days of June. This year has seen the worst June in 15 years for forest fires. Monthly records were also beaten in January and February, when deforestation is usually lower, and in April. INPE satellites identified more than 2,500 fires in the Amazon last month, the largest number since more than 3,500 were recorded in June 2007, and an 11 percent increase over June 2021. More than 7,500 fires have been recorded since the start of the year, another 17 percent increase on 2021 and the worst numbers since 2010. "The dry season has barely begun in the Amazon and already we're beating environmental destruction records," said Cristiane Mazzetti, from Greenpeace Brazil. Environmentalists and opposition figures accuse the government of President Jair Bolsonaro of implementing policies that encourage big businesses to damage the environment. (With inputs from agencies) You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

Brazil: Amazon deforestation sets new six-month record

Brazilian authorities, searching for the two missing men in the Amazon, found some personal belongings of the pair. Police have been investigating witnesses.

Missing in Amazon: Police finds personal belongings of Dom Phillips, Bruno Periera

A British Journalist was reported missing on Sunday after he ventured into the Amazon rainforest. The family of the 57-year-old man, Dom Phillips, has called for the British and Brazilian authorities in London to conduct a deeper search to find the man, reports AFP.

Dom Phillips, a contributor to the Guardian, and Bruno Pereira, a specialist in indigenous peoples, ventured into the Amazon rainforest and allegedly went missing in the Javari Valley in Amazonas state, located in the West of the Amazon basin, near Peru.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/brazilian-army-in-search-of-missing-british-journalist-in-amazon-486287">Brazilian Army in search of missing British journalist in Amazon</a>

The region is experiencing an upsurge in armed violence because of the presence of miners, gold diggers, poachers, and drug traffickers.

In a gathering of close to 30 people in front of the Brazil embassy in London, the man's sister Sian Phillips in a statement to the media, asked, "Where is Dom Phillips? Where is Bruno Pereira?"

Watch |&nbsp;Brazilian Army in search of missing British journalist in Amazon

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Sian Phillips blames the Brazilian authorities for their delayed response to the situation, but she claims to have hope that the two men will be found soon.&nbsp;

"We want the UK authorities to put pressure on the Brazilian government. We want to carry on with the search. We want to find out what is happening to them, and we want anyone responsible for any criminal act to be brought to justice. We want a persistent deep, and open investigation," AFP quoted Sian Phillips.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/exclusive-marine-debris-plagues-guanabara-bay-fishermen-turn-to-ocean-cleaning-486174">Exclusive: Marine debris plagues Guanabara Bay, fishermen turn to ocean cleaning</a>

In a region where trafficking is widespread, the Brazilian authorities are still hopeful of finding the two men alive; however, they have not ruled out any form of outcome, including that of a homicide.

Paul Sherwood, Dom Phillips' brother-in-law, told AFP, "We've been assured that everything has been done that can be done."

Several eminent personalities, activists, and human rights groups have rallied to the cause and have urged Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro to deepen the search.

(With inputs from agencies)

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A British Journalist was reported missing on Sunday after he ventured into the Amazon rainforest. The family of the 57-year-old man, Dom Phillips, has called for the British and Brazilian authorities in London to conduct a deeper search to find the man, reports AFP.

A British Journalist was reported missing on Sunday after he ventured into the Amazon rainforest. The family of the 57-year-old man, Dom Phillips, has called for the British and Brazilian authorities in London to conduct a deeper search to find the man, reports AFP. Dom Phillips, a contributor to the Guardian, and Bruno Pereira, a specialist in indigenous peoples, ventured into the Amazon rainforest and allegedly went missing in the Javari Valley in Amazonas state, located in the West of the Amazon basin, near Peru. Also read | Brazilian Army in search of missing British journalist in Amazon The region is experiencing an upsurge in armed violence because of the presence of miners, gold diggers, poachers, and drug traffickers. In a gathering of close to 30 people in front of the Brazil embassy in London, the man's sister Sian Phillips in a statement to the media, asked, "Where is Dom Phillips? Where is Bruno Pereira?" Watch | Brazilian Army in search of missing British journalist in Amazon Sian Phillips blames the Brazilian authorities for their delayed response to the situation, but she claims to have hope that the two men will be found soon. "We want the UK authorities to put pressure on the Brazilian government. We want to carry on with the search. We want to find out what is happening to them, and we want anyone responsible for any criminal act to be brought to justice. We want a persistent deep, and open investigation," AFP quoted Sian Phillips. Also read | Exclusive: Marine debris plagues Guanabara Bay, fishermen turn to ocean cleaning In a region where trafficking is widespread, the Brazilian authorities are still hopeful of finding the two men alive; however, they have not ruled out any form of outcome, including that of a homicide. Paul Sherwood, Dom Phillips' brother-in-law, told AFP, "We've been assured that everything has been done that can be done." Several eminent personalities, activists, and human rights groups have rallied to the cause and have urged Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro to deepen the search. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Family of a British journalist who has gone missing in Amazon calls for deeper search

Latin American leaders address the challenges that the world's biggest rainforest Amazon is facing. The leaders spoke at a meeting held during the World Economic Forum in Davos

DAVOS 2022: Latin American leaders discuss challenges Amazon is facing

Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro has been criticized time and again for climate inaction and he has now signed a decree which aims to increase fines on illegal timber supply in order to check the rampant deforestation in the Amazon rainforest

Brazil steps up climate action: Imposes heavy penalty on illegal timber supply

A Brazilian company called Nemus is using proceeds acquired by selling NFTs to preserve the Amazon rainforest.

The company, that owns 410 square kilometers (158 square miles) of forest, is granting buyers unique sponsorship of different sized tracts.

Its founder Flavio de Meira Penna said token holders will not own the land itself, but will have access to key information about its preservation, from satellite imagery to licensing and other documentation.

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NFT sales platforms use the blockchain technology behind cryptocurrencies, and transform anything from illustrations to memes into virtual collectors' items that cannot be duplicated.

By selling NFTs, Nemus is allowing buyers to sponsor the preservation of specific areas of jungle and regenerate clear-cut areas and foster sustainable development.

Flavio de Meira Penna said Nemus had sold 10 per cent&nbsp;of an initial offer of tokens for 8,000 hectares on the first day.

"My guess is this will accelerate rapidly in coming weeks," Penna said, adding that blockchain technology would ensure transparency in the use of the funds.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/brazil-deforestation-in-amazon-rainforest-hits-record-january-high-452599">Also read |&nbsp;Brazil: Deforestation in Amazon rainforest hits record January high</a>

Hammered by climate change and relentless deforestation, the Amazon rainforest is losing its capacity to recover and could irretrievably transition into savannah, with dire consequences for the region and the world.

Researchers warned that the results mean the Amazon could be approaching a so-called "tipping point" faster than previously understood. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Climate models have suggested that global heating,&nbsp;which has on average warmed Earth's surface 1.1 degrees Celsius above preindustrial levels -- could by itself push the Amazon past a point of no return into a far drier savannah-like state.

If carbon pollution continues unabated, that scenario could be locked in by mid-century, according to some models.

The plots being sold by Penna's company vary in size from a quarter of a hectare to 81 hectares (0.6 to 200 acres), which buyers will be able to locate with online maps.

NFTs for the smallest plots sell for $150 and the largest fetch $51,000, said Penna, who is hoping to raise $4 million to $5 million to buy an additional 2 million hectares of land already under negotiations in the municipality of Pauini in Amazonas state.

Along with preserving the forest, Penna said the funds would support sustainable development efforts such as harvesting acai berries and Brazil nuts by local communities in Pauini, which is the size of Belgium.

Each token comes with artwork of an Amazon plant or animal and is processed by San Francisco-based Concept Art House, a content developer and publisher for NFTs.

Critics have questioned the value of NFTs for environmental causes because tokens using the blockchain technology require intense computing power, driving up demand for electricity generation that releases climate-warming greenhouse gases.

Penna dismissed that view, saying preservation of threatened areas of the Amazon far outweighs the environmental cost of NFT transactions. 
&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

A Brazilian company called Nemus is using proceeds acquired by selling NFTs to preserve the Amazon rainforest. The company, that owns 410 square kilometers (158 square miles) of forest, is granting buyers unique sponsorship of different sized tracts.

A Brazilian company called Nemus is using proceeds acquired by selling NFTs to preserve the Amazon rainforest. The company, that owns 410 square kilometers (158 square miles) of forest, is granting buyers unique sponsorship of different sized tracts. Its founder Flavio de Meira Penna said token holders will not own the land itself, but will have access to key information about its preservation, from satellite imagery to licensing and other documentation. NFT sales platforms use the blockchain technology behind cryptocurrencies, and transform anything from illustrations to memes into virtual collectors' items that cannot be duplicated. By selling NFTs, Nemus is allowing buyers to sponsor the preservation of specific areas of jungle and regenerate clear-cut areas and foster sustainable development. Flavio de Meira Penna said Nemus had sold 10 per cent of an initial offer of tokens for 8,000 hectares on the first day. "My guess is this will accelerate rapidly in coming weeks," Penna said, adding that blockchain technology would ensure transparency in the use of the funds. Also read | Brazil: Deforestation in Amazon rainforest hits record January high Hammered by climate change and relentless deforestation, the Amazon rainforest is losing its capacity to recover and could irretrievably transition into savannah, with dire consequences for the region and the world. Researchers warned that the results mean the Amazon could be approaching a so-called "tipping point" faster than previously understood. Climate models have suggested that global heating, which has on average warmed Earth's surface 1.1 degrees Celsius above preindustrial levels -- could by itself push the Amazon past a point of no return into a far drier savannah-like state. If carbon pollution continues unabated, that scenario could be locked in by mid-century, according to some models. The plots being sold by Penna's company vary in size from a quarter of a hectare to 81 hectares (0.6 to 200 acres), which buyers will be able to locate with online maps. NFTs for the smallest plots sell for $150 and the largest fetch $51,000, said Penna, who is hoping to raise $4 million to $5 million to buy an additional 2 million hectares of land already under negotiations in the municipality of Pauini in Amazonas state. Along with preserving the forest, Penna said the funds would support sustainable development efforts such as harvesting acai berries and Brazil nuts by local communities in Pauini, which is the size of Belgium. Each token comes with artwork of an Amazon plant or animal and is processed by San Francisco-based Concept Art House, a content developer and publisher for NFTs. Critics have questioned the value of NFTs for environmental causes because tokens using the blockchain technology require intense computing power, driving up demand for electricity generation that releases climate-warming greenhouse gases. Penna dismissed that view, saying preservation of threatened areas of the Amazon far outweighs the environmental cost of NFT transactions. (With inputs from agencies)

Brazilian company using proceeds acquired by selling NFTs to preserve Amazon rainforest

Brazil recorded the most deforestation ever in the Amazon rainforest for the month of January, according to government data.

Nearly 360 square kilometers (140 square miles) of forest cover,&nbsp;an area more than six times the size of Manhattan, were destroyed in the Brazilian Amazon from January 1 to January 31, said Brazil's national space research institute, INPE.

Environmentalists said that translated into a high risk that 2022 would be another devastating year for the Brazilian Amazon.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/amazon-rainforest-will-vanish-by-2064-new-study-predicts-355322">Also read |&nbsp;Amazon rainforest will vanish by 2064, new study predicts</a>

Facing international pressure from the United States and Europe, Brazil last year pledged to end illegal deforestation by 2028 and signed a global pact to stop all forest destruction by 2030.

President Jair Bolsonaro has faced international outcry over the surging destruction of the Amazon, a key resource in the race to curb climate change.

The Brazilian Amazon hadn’t recorded a single year with more than 10,000 square kilometers of deforestation in over a decade before Jair Bolsonaro’s term started in 2019.

Bolsonaro took office with promises to develop the Amazon, and dismissing global outcry about its destruction. His administration has defanged environmental authorities and backed legislative measures to loosen land protections, emboldening land grabbers.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/in-pics-brazils-amazon-deforestation-surges-22-in-a-year-highest-in-15-years-430585">Also see |&nbsp;In pics: Brazil's Amazon deforestation surges 22% in a year, highest in 15 years</a>

“We are seeing the Amazon rainforest being destroyed by a government which made environmental destruction its public policy.” said Márcio Astrini, executive secretary of the Climate Observatory, a network of environmental nonprofit groups.

“This is the real Brazil that the Bolsonaro government tries to hide with fantastical speeches and actions of greenwashing abroad,” Mauricio Voivodic, international environmental group WWF’s executive director for Brazil, said in a statement.&nbsp;

“The reality shows that the Bolsonaro government accelerated the path of Amazon destruction.”

Britaldo Soares Filho, an environmental modelling researcher at the Federal University of Minas Gerais and Ana Karine Pereira, a political scientist at the University of Brasilia, said said deforestation will only stop rising if Bolsonaro loses the presidential election in October.

"In order for us to break through this trend of high deforestation rates, I believe that a change in the political profile of the president and the conduct of the federal government is crucial," Pereira said.

High deforestation is unusual in the current rainy season, when the rainforest is harder for loggers to access. The January data showed that new clearing was still less than half of what is common during the peak months from June to September.

&nbsp;

Brazil recorded the most deforestation ever in the Amazon rainforest for the month of January, according to government data. Nearly 360 square kilometers (140 square miles) of forest cover, an area more than six times the size of Manhattan, were destroyed in the Brazilian Amazon from January 1 to January 31, said Brazil's national space research institute, INPE.

Brazil recorded the most deforestation ever in the Amazon rainforest for the month of January, according to government data. Nearly 360 square kilometers (140 square miles) of forest cover, an area more than six times the size of Manhattan, were destroyed in the Brazilian Amazon from January 1 to January 31, said Brazil's national space research institute, INPE. Environmentalists said that translated into a high risk that 2022 would be another devastating year for the Brazilian Amazon. Also read | Amazon rainforest will vanish by 2064, new study predicts Facing international pressure from the United States and Europe, Brazil last year pledged to end illegal deforestation by 2028 and signed a global pact to stop all forest destruction by 2030. President Jair Bolsonaro has faced international outcry over the surging destruction of the Amazon, a key resource in the race to curb climate change. The Brazilian Amazon hadn’t recorded a single year with more than 10,000 square kilometers of deforestation in over a decade before Jair Bolsonaro’s term started in 2019. Bolsonaro took office with promises to develop the Amazon, and dismissing global outcry about its destruction. His administration has defanged environmental authorities and backed legislative measures to loosen land protections, emboldening land grabbers. Also see | In pics: Brazil's Amazon deforestation surges 22% in a year, highest in 15 years “We are seeing the Amazon rainforest being destroyed by a government which made environmental destruction its public policy.” said Márcio Astrini, executive secretary of the Climate Observatory, a network of environmental nonprofit groups. “This is the real Brazil that the Bolsonaro government tries to hide with fantastical speeches and actions of greenwashing abroad,” Mauricio Voivodic, international environmental group WWF’s executive director for Brazil, said in a statement. “The reality shows that the Bolsonaro government accelerated the path of Amazon destruction.” Britaldo Soares Filho, an environmental modelling researcher at the Federal University of Minas Gerais and Ana Karine Pereira, a political scientist at the University of Brasilia, said said deforestation will only stop rising if Bolsonaro loses the presidential election in October. "In order for us to break through this trend of high deforestation rates, I believe that a change in the political profile of the president and the conduct of the federal government is crucial," Pereira said. High deforestation is unusual in the current rainy season, when the rainforest is harder for loggers to access. The January data showed that new clearing was still less than half of what is common during the peak months from June to September.

Brazil: Deforestation in Amazon rainforest hits record January high

The Amazon is the world's largest tropical rainforest. It spreads over nine Latin American countries and is often called the lungs of the planet. So, the disappearance of the large swathes of forest is quite concerning. WION tells you what's at stake.

Why is Amazon Rainforest disappearing?

Undercutting Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro's pledge at the COP26 summit, deforestation in Brazil's Amazon rainforest has surged to a 15-year high.

Questioning the proportion of the released data, Bolsonaro said,&nbsp;"Is there illegal deforestation? Yes, and it would be easy if other countries would not buy our timber."

According to a government's 2021 report that raises worries with environmentalists, deforestation has soared 22 per cent&nbsp;in a year.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/amazon-deforestation-at-a-15-year-high-another-alarming-finding-wion-climate-tracker-430443/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The Brazilian Amazon lost 13,235 square kilometers of rainforest in the 12-month reference period from August 2020 to July 2021, as per the National Institute for Space Research’s Prodes monitoring system.

Cristiane Mazzetti, spokesperson for the Amazon at Greenpeace Brazil said "It's a fact that the current government has dramatically raised the level of environmental destruction in the largest forest on the planet.''

''If we compare the more than 13 thousand square kilometres registered in 2021 with the 2018 rate before Bolsonaro we can see an increase of about 75 percent in deforestation."

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/brazil-senator-files-criminal-complaint-against-bolsonaro-over-vaccine-deal-with-indias-bharat-biotech-394591">Also read |&nbsp;Brazil senator files criminal complaint against Bolsonaro over vaccine deal with India's Bharat Biotech</a>

"This situation could get worse if proposals to change the legislation that are currently being discussed in the National Congress are approved," said the Greenpeace spokesperson.

Meanwhile, Márcio Astrini, executive secretary of the Climate Observatory, a network of environmental nonprofit groups, said “It is a shame. It is a crime.”

“We are seeing the Amazon rainforest being destroyed by a government which made environmental destruction its public policy.”

The Brazilian Amazon had not&nbsp;recorded a single year with more than 10,000 square kilometers of deforestation in over a decade before Jair Bolsonaro’s presidency term started.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Undercutting Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro's pledge at the COP26 summit, deforestation in Brazil's Amazon rainforest has surged to a 15-year high. Questioning the proportion of the released data, Bolsonaro said, "Is there illegal deforestation?

Undercutting Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro's pledge at the COP26 summit, deforestation in Brazil's Amazon rainforest has surged to a 15-year high. Questioning the proportion of the released data, Bolsonaro said, "Is there illegal deforestation? Yes, and it would be easy if other countries would not buy our timber." According to a government's 2021 report that raises worries with environmentalists, deforestation has soared 22 per cent in a year. The Brazilian Amazon lost 13,235 square kilometers of rainforest in the 12-month reference period from August 2020 to July 2021, as per the National Institute for Space Research’s Prodes monitoring system. Cristiane Mazzetti, spokesperson for the Amazon at Greenpeace Brazil said "It's a fact that the current government has dramatically raised the level of environmental destruction in the largest forest on the planet.'' ''If we compare the more than 13 thousand square kilometres registered in 2021 with the 2018 rate before Bolsonaro we can see an increase of about 75 percent in deforestation." Also read | Brazil senator files criminal complaint against Bolsonaro over vaccine deal with India's Bharat Biotech "This situation could get worse if proposals to change the legislation that are currently being discussed in the National Congress are approved," said the Greenpeace spokesperson. Meanwhile, Márcio Astrini, executive secretary of the Climate Observatory, a network of environmental nonprofit groups, said “It is a shame. It is a crime.” “We are seeing the Amazon rainforest being destroyed by a government which made environmental destruction its public policy.” The Brazilian Amazon had not recorded a single year with more than 10,000 square kilometers of deforestation in over a decade before Jair Bolsonaro’s presidency term started. (With inputs from agencies)

Bolsonaro blames countries buying Brazilian timber for Amazon deforestation

Scientists have confirmed that the Amazon rainforest is now emitting more carbon dioxide than it is able to absorb. Watch this report to know more.

Amazon Rainforest: Parts of Amazon becomes source of Carbon Dioxide

According to a new study, parts of the Amazon rainforest are now releasing more carbon dioxide than they absorb, disrupting an important balancing act that signals a worsening of the climate crisis.

Amazon rainforest emitting more CO2 than it absorbs in some parts

Portions of the Amazon rainforest are now emitting more carbon dioxide than they absorb — a troubling sign for the fight against climate change, a new study suggests.

Deforestation and an accelerating warming trend have contributed to change in the carbon balance, which is most severe in the southeastern region of the Amazon where there are both rising temperatures and reduced rainfall in the dry season. The most affected regions have warmed by 4.5 degrees Fahrenheit during the dry season in the last 40 years, comparable to the changes seen in the rapidly warming Arctic.

The Amazon region, home to the planet’s largest tropical forests, has served as an important absorber of carbon dioxide. Changing weather patterns have reduced its effectiveness as a buffer for climate change, and the conditions may be pushed even more by global warming, with still more carbon dioxide being released.

“This is a negative loop,” said Luciana Vanni Gatti, a scientist at Brazil’s National Institute for Space Research and an author of the paper, which was published Wednesday in the journal Nature.

In recent years, a growing number of studies have suggested that the region’s ability to remove carbon from the air and store it so it will not contribute to rising global temperatures is being degraded. A 30-year study in the journal Nature published in 2015 found that the Amazon’s ability to absorb carbon dioxide is showing “a long-term decreasing trend of carbon accumulation,” in part because of greater climate variability and earlier deaths of trees.

And a 2018 essay in the journal Science Advances warned that the combination of deforestation, climate change and burning have caused parts of the rainforest to shift to savanna: “The precious Amazon is teetering on the edge of functional destruction and, with it, so are we,” the authors wrote, adding, “we stand exactly in a moment of destiny: The tipping point is here, it is now.”

The research published Wednesday included measurements of carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide levels taken from small planes during about 600 flights between 2010 and 2018. The pilots flew to altitudes of a few miles above the tree canopy, then descended and took repeated measurements in the vertical column of air. The results showed the greatest changes to the ecological balance in areas that had suffered large-scale deforestation and had been heavily burned to dispose of dead trees and to clear land, Gatti said.

Thomas Lovejoy of George Mason University, an author of the “tipping point” essay, praised the new research, which he did not take part in. He said that there is hope for restoring balance, at least to a degree.

“The ability to build back a margin of safety” through reforestation is very real, he said, and could help bring back the role of trees in producing the moisture within the forests.

“I don’t think you’ll ever get it back to what it was, but you can certainly improve it,” he said.

The forests are a critical part of the region’s water cycle. Moisture put into the air by trees is responsible for as much as 35% of the region’s rainfall, according to some estimates.

By managing the forests with carbon sequestration, hydrology and biodiversity in mind, he said, “you get multiple benefits.” Referring to the changes to the Amazon, he said, “It’s come a lot sooner than anybody thought 30 years ago because of the extensive use of fire and climate change. But put some water in there, and it will change.”

Any changes may be long in coming and will face political opposition. President Jair Bolsonaro of Brazil has overseen skyrocketing deforestation in the Amazon. The government, under increasing pressure, has recently announced plans to counter the trend, but spikes in deforestation have continued.

In an accompanying article in Nature, Scott Denning, a professor in the department of atmospheric science at Colorado State University, wrote that the paper’s “atmospheric profiles show that the uncertain future is happening now.”

In an emailed response to questions, Denning praised the new study as the first real large-scale measurement — from various altitudes across thousands of kilometers and remote sectors — of the phenomenon, an advance beyond the traditional measurement at forest sites. The results show “that warming and deforestation in eastern Amazonia have reversed the carbon sink at regional scale and that the change is actually showing up in atmospheric CO2,” he wrote.

The research flights could be grueling. Gatti said that she took Dramamine before fights, but one colleague refused to get into the plane, saying that his wife was pregnant and “it’s too risky.” She replied, “I have two kids!”

Once the scientists trained pilots to use the equipment, she said, they would fly on their own. “It’s not easy,” she said. “But we need to do it.”

Noting that much of the cleared land in the most heavily affected area is used to raise cattle, she said her research has led her to stop eating beef.

“Would you like to have the Amazon removed for your lunch?” she said.

Portions of the Amazon rainforest are now emitting more carbon dioxide than they absorb — a troubling sign for the fight against climate change, a new study suggests.

Portions of the Amazon rainforest are now emitting more carbon dioxide than they absorb — a troubling sign for the fight against climate change, a new study suggests. Deforestation and an accelerating warming trend have contributed to change in the carbon balance, which is most severe in the southeastern region of the Amazon where there are both rising temperatures and reduced rainfall in the dry season. The most affected regions have warmed by 4.5 degrees Fahrenheit during the dry season in the last 40 years, comparable to the changes seen in the rapidly warming Arctic. The Amazon region, home to the planet’s largest tropical forests, has served as an important absorber of carbon dioxide. Changing weather patterns have reduced its effectiveness as a buffer for climate change, and the conditions may be pushed even more by global warming, with still more carbon dioxide being released. “This is a negative loop,” said Luciana Vanni Gatti, a scientist at Brazil’s National Institute for Space Research and an author of the paper, which was published Wednesday in the journal Nature. In recent years, a growing number of studies have suggested that the region’s ability to remove carbon from the air and store it so it will not contribute to rising global temperatures is being degraded. A 30-year study in the journal Nature published in 2015 found that the Amazon’s ability to absorb carbon dioxide is showing “a long-term decreasing trend of carbon accumulation,” in part because of greater climate variability and earlier deaths of trees. And a 2018 essay in the journal Science Advances warned that the combination of deforestation, climate change and burning have caused parts of the rainforest to shift to savanna: “The precious Amazon is teetering on the edge of functional destruction and, with it, so are we,” the authors wrote, adding, “we stand exactly in a moment of destiny: The tipping point is here, it is now.” The research published Wednesday included measurements of carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide levels taken from small planes during about 600 flights between 2010 and 2018. The pilots flew to altitudes of a few miles above the tree canopy, then descended and took repeated measurements in the vertical column of air. The results showed the greatest changes to the ecological balance in areas that had suffered large-scale deforestation and had been heavily burned to dispose of dead trees and to clear land, Gatti said. Thomas Lovejoy of George Mason University, an author of the “tipping point” essay, praised the new research, which he did not take part in. He said that there is hope for restoring balance, at least to a degree. “The ability to build back a margin of safety” through reforestation is very real, he said, and could help bring back the role of trees in producing the moisture within the forests. “I don’t think you’ll ever get it back to what it was, but you can certainly improve it,” he said. The forests are a critical part of the region’s water cycle. Moisture put into the air by trees is responsible for as much as 35% of the region’s rainfall, according to some estimates. By managing the forests with carbon sequestration, hydrology and biodiversity in mind, he said, “you get multiple benefits.” Referring to the changes to the Amazon, he said, “It’s come a lot sooner than anybody thought 30 years ago because of the extensive use of fire and climate change. But put some water in there, and it will change.” Any changes may be long in coming and will face political opposition. President Jair Bolsonaro of Brazil has overseen skyrocketing deforestation in the Amazon. The government, under increasing pressure, has recently announced plans to counter the trend, but spikes in deforestation have continued. In an accompanying article in Nature, Scott Denning, a professor in the department of atmospheric science at Colorado State University, wrote that the paper’s “atmospheric profiles show that the uncertain future is happening now.” In an emailed response to questions, Denning praised the new study as the first real large-scale measurement — from various altitudes across thousands of kilometers and remote sectors — of the phenomenon, an advance beyond the traditional measurement at forest sites. The results show “that warming and deforestation in eastern Amazonia have reversed the carbon sink at regional scale and that the change is actually showing up in atmospheric CO2,” he wrote. The research flights could be grueling. Gatti said that she took Dramamine before fights, but one colleague refused to get into the plane, saying that his wife was pregnant and “it’s too risky.” She replied, “I have two kids!” Once the scientists trained pilots to use the equipment, she said, they would fly on their own. “It’s not easy,” she said. “But we need to do it.” Noting that much of the cleared land in the most heavily affected area is used to raise cattle, she said her research has led her to stop eating beef. “Would you like to have the Amazon removed for your lunch?” she said.

Parts of the Amazon go from absorbing carbon dioxide to emitting it

Heavy rains in the Amazon Rainforest are causing rivers to reach record levels in the rainy cross-section of the Amazon river. The Brazilian geological service confirmed that the water levels are set to reach a record 30 meters, the highest level since records began in 1902.

Amazon rivers in Brazil are swelling to record levels

Deforestation in the&nbsp;Amazon, the world's largest rainforest, rose by 17 per cent&nbsp;last year, with wildfires, beef production and logging causing forested areas roughly the size of El Salvador to disappear, according to new data published on Wednesday.

The loss of primary forest, the clearing of old-growth, intact forest for the first time,&nbsp;hit its third-highest annual total on record since 2000, reaching 2.3 million hectares (5.6 million acres) in the nine countries spanned by the&nbsp;Amazon.

"2020, the year dominated by COVID-19, turned out to be quite dire for the&nbsp;Amazon," said Matt Finer, who leads an&nbsp;Amazon&nbsp;satellite monitoring project called MAAP for US-based&nbsp;Amazon&nbsp;Conservation, a nonprofit that issued a report containing the data.

Bolivia, Ecuador and Peru recorded historically high deforestation levels, while Brazil had "another bad year", losing over 1.5 million hectares of primary forest, said Finer.

After Brazil, the countries with the highest primary&nbsp;Amazon&nbsp;forest loss in 2020 were Bolivia, Peru, and Colombia,&nbsp;which suffered its second-highest loss on record - followed by Venezuela and Ecuador, according to the report based on analysis of the data produced by the University of Maryland.

"The primary cause of deforestation across the&nbsp;Amazon&nbsp;appears to be agriculture and cattle-related, ranging from larger-scale operations in Brazil to the accumulation of smaller-scale clearings throughout the western&nbsp;Amazon," Finer said.

In Brazil, deforestation was largely driven by forest being converted into pasture for cattle, the report said.

Earlier this month, Brazil's environment minister told local media he wanted $1 billion in foreign aid from countries including the United States to help curb&nbsp;Amazon&nbsp;deforestation.

Cutting down forests has major implications for global goals to curb climate change, as trees absorb about a third of the planet-warming carbon emissions produced worldwide.

The report noted that the biggest deforestation hotspots in the&nbsp;Amazon&nbsp;were found in southeast Bolivia where fires have raged through its drier Chiquitano and Chaco forests.

Many Bolivians use slash-and-burn tactics to clear land for cattle or soy production, and the fires they set can get out of control and escape into the forest in dry conditions.

In parts of the Peruvian&nbsp;Amazon, deforestation driven by illegal gold mining decreased in the past year "thanks to effective government action", the report said.

But Peru still had the highest primary forest loss on record in its share of the&nbsp;Amazon, surpassing 190,000 hectares.

That was largely fuelled by the expansion of small-scale farming and the cattle pasture frontier, including on indigenous lands, the report said.

(With inputs from Agencies)

Deforestation in the Amazon, the world's largest rainforest, rose by 17 per cent last year, with wildfires, beef production and logging causing forested areas roughly the size of El Salvador to disappear, according to new data published on Wednesday.

Deforestation in the Amazon, the world's largest rainforest, rose by 17 per cent last year, with wildfires, beef production and logging causing forested areas roughly the size of El Salvador to disappear, according to new data published on Wednesday. The loss of primary forest, the clearing of old-growth, intact forest for the first time, hit its third-highest annual total on record since 2000, reaching 2.3 million hectares (5.6 million acres) in the nine countries spanned by the Amazon. "2020, the year dominated by COVID-19, turned out to be quite dire for the Amazon," said Matt Finer, who leads an Amazon satellite monitoring project called MAAP for US-based Amazon Conservation, a nonprofit that issued a report containing the data. Bolivia, Ecuador and Peru recorded historically high deforestation levels, while Brazil had "another bad year", losing over 1.5 million hectares of primary forest, said Finer. After Brazil, the countries with the highest primary Amazon forest loss in 2020 were Bolivia, Peru, and Colombia, which suffered its second-highest loss on record - followed by Venezuela and Ecuador, according to the report based on analysis of the data produced by the University of Maryland. "The primary cause of deforestation across the Amazon appears to be agriculture and cattle-related, ranging from larger-scale operations in Brazil to the accumulation of smaller-scale clearings throughout the western Amazon," Finer said. In Brazil, deforestation was largely driven by forest being converted into pasture for cattle, the report said. Earlier this month, Brazil's environment minister told local media he wanted $1 billion in foreign aid from countries including the United States to help curb Amazon deforestation. Cutting down forests has major implications for global goals to curb climate change, as trees absorb about a third of the planet-warming carbon emissions produced worldwide. The report noted that the biggest deforestation hotspots in the Amazon were found in southeast Bolivia where fires have raged through its drier Chiquitano and Chaco forests. Many Bolivians use slash-and-burn tactics to clear land for cattle or soy production, and the fires they set can get out of control and escape into the forest in dry conditions. In parts of the Peruvian Amazon, deforestation driven by illegal gold mining decreased in the past year "thanks to effective government action", the report said. But Peru still had the highest primary forest loss on record in its share of the Amazon, surpassing 190,000 hectares. That was largely fuelled by the expansion of small-scale farming and the cattle pasture frontier, including on indigenous lands, the report said. (With inputs from Agencies)

Deforestation in world's largest rainforest Amazon rose 17% in 'dire' 2020

According to Rainforest Foundation Norway's (RFN) analysis, humans have degraded or destroyed roughly two-thirds of the world's original tropical rainforest cover - raising alarm that a key natural buffer against climate change is quickly vanishing.

Data reveals, two-thirds of tropical rainforest destroyed or degraded globally

The Amazon rainforest, which produces about 20 per cent of the Earth's atmosphere's oxygen, will collapse and largely become a dry, shrubby plain in next 45 years. 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions/wion-edit-amazon-fires-challenge-to-india-and-developing-world-246303">WION Edit: Amazon Fires - Challenge to India and Developing World</a> 
 
According to the predictions of the scientist Robert Walker in the new paper published in the peer-reviewed journal Environment, world’s largest tropical rainforest, Amazon rainforest will vanish by 2064 due to alarming levels of deforestation and droughts occurring in the region from the climate change.&nbsp;

In a new report for Environment: Science and Policy for Sustainable Development geologist Walker reviews recent research on the Amazon rainforest to reach the grim conclusion.

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/amazon-suffers-worst-fire-in-decades-the-entire-amazon-spade-9-countries-332158/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

"A forest cannot survive if its canopy needs more than 4 years to recover from a yearly (drought) event," Walker wrote in the report. "Southern Amazonia can expect to reach a tipping point sometime before 2064 at the current rate of dry-season lengthening."

The number of fires this year in the Amazon had exceeded last year's horror fire season by October.&nbsp; 
And we humans destroyed another 1,202 square km (464 square miles) of forest in Brazil during the first four months of 2020 - 55 percent more than during the same time last year.

The loss of biodiversity and invaluable habitats, release of carbon from the fires, and other socioeconomic and environmental consequences have concerned scientists around the world.

(With inputs from agencies)

The Amazon rainforest, which produces about 20 per cent of the Earth's atmosphere's oxygen, will collapse and largely become a dry, shrubby plain in next 45 years.

The Amazon rainforest, which produces about 20 per cent of the Earth's atmosphere's oxygen, will collapse and largely become a dry, shrubby plain in next 45 years. WION Edit: Amazon Fires - Challenge to India and Developing World According to the predictions of the scientist Robert Walker in the new paper published in the peer-reviewed journal Environment, world’s largest tropical rainforest, Amazon rainforest will vanish by 2064 due to alarming levels of deforestation and droughts occurring in the region from the climate change. In a new report for Environment: Science and Policy for Sustainable Development geologist Walker reviews recent research on the Amazon rainforest to reach the grim conclusion. "A forest cannot survive if its canopy needs more than 4 years to recover from a yearly (drought) event," Walker wrote in the report. "Southern Amazonia can expect to reach a tipping point sometime before 2064 at the current rate of dry-season lengthening." The number of fires this year in the Amazon had exceeded last year's horror fire season by October. And we humans destroyed another 1,202 square km (464 square miles) of forest in Brazil during the first four months of 2020 - 55 percent more than during the same time last year. The loss of biodiversity and invaluable habitats, release of carbon from the fires, and other socioeconomic and environmental consequences have concerned scientists around the world. (With inputs from agencies)

Amazon rainforest will vanish by 2064, new study predicts

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

Brazil has mobilized more than 4,000 soldiers to patrol its northern coast near the jungle border with French Guiana for trafficking of drugs, weapons and gold among other crimes, which are rampant in the remote Amazon rainforest region.

Brazil military patrols northern Amazon border region to curb drugs and weapons trafficking

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

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'

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