THE FIRES RAGING in the world’s largest rainforest are just refusing to die down, and so are the controversies around it. Since January, more than 200,000 fires have been alight across the Amazon, famed for its biodiversity and dubbed the lungs of the planet. Hundreds of the blazes are now spreading to denser and pristine patches, hurting wildlife in their path and threatening some of the last forest refuges of indigenous tribes, many of whom remain uncontacted (see ‘We are protectors of Amazon’ on p40). Though the Amazon spans eight South American countries, blazes are most intense along its southern swath in Brazil that controls 60 percent of the rainforest.
To put out the fires, the government has deployed 44,000 troops and military aircraft in its six affected states. On August 29, it announced a 60-day ban on the use of fire for land clearing. But Brazil’s space research center, the Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais (INPE), detected 4,000 new forest fires over the next 48 hours. As charred and smoldering tree trunks pile up on the ground, a thick smoke mixed with soot and ash chokes the atmosphere and has triggered health emergency among communities. The states of Acre and Amazonas, which almost entirely remain covered by the tropical jungle, have declared a state of emergency. Analysts say the worst is yet to come. The number of fires will increase over the coming months as the dry season intensifies.
Denne historien er fra September 16, 2019-utgaven av Down To Earth.
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Denne historien er fra September 16, 2019-utgaven av Down To Earth.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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A SPRIG TO CARE FOR
Punarnava, a perennial herb, is easy to grow and has huge health benefits
DIGGING A DISASTER
Soapstone mining near Dabti Vijaypur village has caused many residents to migrate.
REVIEW THE TREATMENT
Several faecal sludge treatment plants in Uttar Pradesh suffer from design flaws that make the treatment process both expensive and inefficient
MAKE STEEL SUSTAINABLE
As India works to double its GDP by 2030, its steel industry must balance growth with sustainability. By embracing policies like the Steel Scrap Recycling Policy 2019 and adopting green technologies, India is paving the way for a more sustainable future in steel production
Can ANRF pull off the impossible for India?
Anusandhan National Research Foundation is expected to reorient India's innovation goals but funding issues, old mindsets remain a drag
TROUBLED WOODS
Forests are a great bulwark against climate change. But this is fast changing. AKSHIT SANGOMLA travels through some of the pristine patches of the Western Ghats to explore how natural disturbances triggered by global warming now threaten the forest health
BLINDING GLOW
The science is clear: increased illumination has damaging consequences for the health of humans, animals and plants. It’s time governments introduced policies to protect the natural darkness and improved the quality of outdoor lighting.
GROUND REALITY
What happens when the soil loses the ability to grow healthy, high-yield crops on its own?
GM POLICY MUST BE FARMER CENTRIC
On July 23, the Supreme Court of India directed the Union government to develop a national policy on genetically modified (GM) crops for research, cultivation, trade and commerce through public consultation.
Vinchurni's Gandhi
A 96-year-old farmer transforms barren land into a thriving forest in drought-prone region of Satara