The fire that shocked the world and burned through social media: who is to blame?
In late August, 2019, images of the Amazon fire took over social media, with the hashtag #PrayForAmazonia reaching more than a million likes and retweets. After being neglected from traditional media, images on social media about the Brazilian city of São Paulo, 2700km from the state of Amazonas where the fire was taking place, being covered in smoke emerged and shocked the world. Following tweets from multiple celebrities, in both the world of entertainment and politics, the fire took over headlines as well.
Why does the Amazon matter?
The Amazon is considered the lungs of the world because it is responsible for producing 20% of the world’s oxygen while taking in carbon dioxide, and limiting Global Warming. Furthermore, the biodiversity in the rainforest is unparalleled, housing 10% of Earth’s known fauna and flora, and also being home to over 300 different indigenous groups. The ecosystem is vital in controlling weather patterns, with its deforestation being linked to droughts and long-term changes in precipitation across the globe.
The Amazon fire: causes
The causes to the Amazon fire are multifold. The region is known for a particularly type of deforestation called slash-and-burn in which trees are cut down for their timber and then are burnt in order to make the area fertile for agriculture and cattle ranches. After years of a reduction in deforestation, the resource-rich area was seen as the solution to the country’s economic crisis. The fires are also a consequence of lower environmental protection and cuts in budget for organizations which ought to enforce these, a result of the current administration’s agenda as well as the lack of public resources.
International Responses to the fire
After the frightening statistics of a drastic increase in fires in the Amazon, the double in 2019 compared to last year, and the powerful photos depicting the forest fire, public outcry on social media asked for change. Many users (and celebrities) swore to reduce their meat consumption, seeing as cattle was one of the main drivers behind the deforestation. The Swedish retailer H&M even went as far as ceasing to buy Brazilian leather.
International leaders of the G7 countries also offered $22m in aid to help put out the fire. The money was later rejected by the Brazilian President, Jair Bolsonaro, questioning the “colonial” intentions behind the aid. He mentioned the importance of “country supremacy” as one of the reasons behind the rejection, and later added that he would accept it if the French president Macron took back his comments about the South American leader.
Environmental activists have called the G7 aid “chum change”, criticizing it for being a superficial act which does not address the root of the problem. A report published by the Amazon Watch in April 2019 emphasized how global market actors, including North American and European companies, empower local elites that lobby for looser environmental restrictions and support Bolsonaro’s agenda. These global companies and financial institutions profit from the destruction of the Amazon, particularly illegal logging which, according to Amazon Watch, constituted 95% of all deforestation in early 2019 and was made possible by the corruption of local officials that agree to turn a blind eye. Therefore, not only online prayers and promises are needed, but changes to the global supply chain are necessary and those responsible must be held accountable in order to truly help the Amazon rainforest.
By Vitória Gaino