Rainforest in flames – Amazonas: 33,116 fires in August alone

Greenpeace documented the fires in August in the 8,000-hectare Amacro region.

“Again, the Amazon rainforest is in raging flames. Fire legends, land robbers and farmers need hardly fear legal repercussions, as the Brazilian government under Jair Bolsonaro is also driven by economic greed. The decree issued is a toothless sham law that cannot protect the Amazon,” says forest expert Lukas Meus.

Under far-right President Jair Bolsonaro, the destruction of Brazil’s vast forests has increased dramatically. Critics accuse him of undermining environmental protection rules in favor of powerful agriculture. Since Bolsonaro took office in 2019, the average annual destruction of Brazil’s Amazon rainforest has increased by 75 percent over the previous decade, according to official figures. Brazilians will elect a new president in October.

Like the Amazon rainforest, the Atlantic rainforest is a major brake on global climate change. According to experts, the diverse ecosystem also provides Brazil with food, drinking water and renewable energy from hydropower.

The EU also plays an important role in protecting the Amazon region by importing commodities such as soy and meat against deforestation. With a new EU law for global forest protection, European states want to prevent products from the destruction of nature from reaching the EU market.

The European Parliament will vote on a common position on the law in September. “The EU is fanning the fires in the Amazon. That is why the states must take responsibility and adopt a strong law,” says Meus.