By Naseerah Nanabhai

28-08-2019

For weeks the Amazon rainforest has been burning. The situation has caused Brazil to declare a state of emergency in the area.

This year the fires have doubled since last year. Last week, it was recorded that within 48 hours there were more than 2500 fires.

Effects of deforestation in the area will include 140 billion tons of stored carbon to be released into the atmosphere. This then causes an uptick in already rising global temperatures.

Without the rainforest, there will also be an increase in water pollution and malaria epidemics.

The rainforests provide us with fresh air from the rain. It helps maintain the water cycle by producing large quantities of rainfall every year.

Amazon helps to stabilise the earth’s climate and slow global warming by fixing CO2 and producing 20% of the world’s oxygen in the process.

Deforestation will have numerous negative effects on the planet as a whole, including loss of species, soil erosion, decreased quality of life and disturbance or native people.

Brazil’s President Jair Bolsonaro is facing criticism in the way he is dealing with the situation.  He is accused of a lack of action and of encouraging logging and farming in the Amazon.