We Cannot Ignore That the Amazon Is On Fire

By Usman Saiyed

No this isn’t about the thriving Amazon company; this is about the not-so-thriving Amazon jungle. The Amazon is the largest tropical rainforest in the world providing habitats for about 10 million species of animals, plants, and insects known to man.

It’s been here for 55 million years and has been fire-resistant for much of its history but now it’s been set ablaze. As of August 19th, a large part of the Amazon is burning and spreading. The fires started because of illegal forest clearing (to make farms) that reduces the amount of availability of water, heating up the soil and causing droughts. The droughts and Earth’s growing global warming cause fires in the forest.

This isn’t something we can just forget about. The Amazon rainforest produces more than 20% of the world’s oxygen and now its decreasing in size and increasing global warming by burning.

The president of Brazil, Jair Bolsonaro, is under stress and backlash because of his petty response to the funds he received. World leaders collected in France at G7 Summit to find a solution to the Amazon Fire. French President, Emmanuel Macron, led the world leaders in approving a $22.2 million aid package to assist Brazil in fighting the blazes.

Bolsonaro chose to decline the aid package because, for some reason, didn’t appreciate the tone which it was offered in.

The Brazilian took to twitter and tweeted saying that the Macron was harboring a “colonialist mindset” and even brought up the fire that destroyed much of Notre Dame in April.

He said, “Thanks, but perhaps these resources are more relevant to reforesting Europe. Can Macron not even prevent a predictable fire in a church that is a World Heritage Site and wants to teach what for our country? He has a lot to look after at home and in the French colonies.”

These acts of pettiness got the attention of Donald Trump. President Trump declared his support for Bolsonaro on twitter stating, “He is working very hard on the Amazon fires and in all respects doing a great job for the people of Brazil – Not easy.

He and his country have the full and complete support of the USA!” Bolsonaro was pleased to hear. But as of now, Bolsonaro has only agreed to accept the aid package if President Macron apologizes. Bolsonaro has stated that he will only come to an agreement if Macron extracts his words and then offers. “First he withdraws them, then he makes his offer, and then I’ll answer, he told reporters.