- Advertisement -
HomeGlobal NewsDeforestation of the Amazon on the rise amid pandemic

Deforestation of the Amazon on the rise amid pandemic

Satellite images captured by the European Space Agency shows areas where trees in the Amazon rainforest have been cut down

Despite the global COVID-19 pandemic, deforestation of the Amazon rainforest in Brazil appears to be continuing on a large scale, with forest clearing over the past 12 months reaching the highest level since monthly data started being released publicly in 2007.

According to official data released from the country’s national space research institute INPE, forest loss in Earth’s largest rainforest has now risen over 13 consecutive months relative to figures from the year previous.

Logging operations, as well as mining, have accelerated their destruction of large areas within the Amazon rainforest during the current coronavirus pandemic.

This news comes after Breaking News Today have reported that meteorologists are saying 2020 could be the hottest year on record.

Environmentalists, who have warned about the deforestation, have said that the pandemic has provided cover for the illegal operations, and are blaming Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro for what they see as his approval of this horrendous deforestation.

In response to calls to protect the largest and most biodiverse tract of tropical rainforest in the world, Bolsonaro has sent in the armed forces.

André Guimarães, the head of Amazon Environmental Research Institute, a nonprofit organization that advocates for conservation of the rainforest has said:

“Government agencies are in quarantine, the population is in quarantine, good people are in quarantine”

Deforestation of the Amazon on the rise amid pandemic
André Guimarães, the head of Amazon Environmental Research Institute

“But the criminals are not, so they are taking advantage of this momentum to increase their activity,”

“The storyline that the central government is sending out basically passes on a message that ‘you’re free to go, my friend, you can do whatever you want, and we’re not going to bother you …’ that’s definitely influencing deforestation,” Guimarães added.

Deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon has risen by 55% in the first four months of the 2020 compared to the same point of time last year, according to Brazil’s National Institute for Space Research. Destruction of the rainforest in April was up by 64% from April in 2019.

Satellite imagery and data, captured by the European Space Agency, found visual evidence of the destructive deforestation, showing a significant reduction in rainforest in the western state of Rondônia since the COVID-19 pandemic began.

Suely Araujo, who quit her job last year as head of Ibama, the Brazilian Institute of Environment and Renewable Natural Resources, in protest against Presidents Bolsonaro’s attacks on the agency, has said:

Deforestation of the Amazon on the rise amid pandemic
Suely Araujo, former head of Ibama

“Environmental inspection is much more sophisticated than putting men on the field,”

“This decision by the president subordinates environmental agents to the army.”

She added: “The government has a vision regarding the Amazon that dates back to the 1970s: occupation accompanied by environmental degradation. This is very sad.”.

The Bolsonaro administration has previously rejected criticism of their record on environmental issues, insisting that they are committed to environmental conservation.

In the UK, due to the pandemic, the Scottish government has delayed plans for an updated climate change action plan until the end of 2020.

Eve Cooper
Eve Cooper
I've been writing articles and stories for as long as I can remember and in the past few years I've had the fortune of turning that love & passion for writing into my job :)

Breaking News Today is a small UK business struggling to stay afloat during COVID lockdown. If you enjoyed this article or found it useful please subscribe to all of our social media outlets.

285,116FansLike
813FollowersFollow
764FollowersFollow
14SubscribersSubscribe
- Advertisement -

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

- Advertisement -

Stay Connected

285,116FansLike
813FollowersFollow
764FollowersFollow
14SubscribersSubscribe

Must Read

- Advertisement -