A manifesto to support IBAMA and ICMBio demands, which are crucial for the protection of our forests and ecosystems.
By Camila Ritter Duarte and Maria Cunha
Translated by Laiane Lessa
Last year, the Amazon faced one of the most intense droughts ever registered. For instance, all 62 municipalities of the Amazon, the most humid state of Brazil, were affected by the drought and, according to the Civil Defense, the dry spell directly affected over 600 thousand people. In September 2023, the Amazon recorded the highest peak of fires since 2007, with approximately 504 fire outbreaks in the Amazon in just two days. The city of Manaus was covered in gray smoke and suffered a decrease in air quality, affecting the health of the population.
The climate crisis worsened the situation in Amazon, isolating cities due to river drought, and impacting mainly the families that depend on farming, such as riverine and indigenous communities. Drought and rising water temperature are associated with the death of aquatic and terrestrial animals, threatening the biodiversity and putting people at risk.
Although the El Niño phenomenon intensifies the dry spell in the Amazon due to the rising in Pacific Ocean temperature, the deforestation caused by cattle raising is identified as the main cause, according to Imazon. The MapBiomas study has revealed that the Amazon is currently the biome with the largest pasture in Brazil, as a result of deforestation associated with the fire outbreaks.
Despite the increase in fire outbreaks, with the intensification of inspection of illegal deforestation conducted by Brazilian Institute of Environment and Renewable Natural Resources (IBAMA), there was a decrease of 49% in deforestation alerts in 2023 compared to the previous year. This reduction in deforestation represents a meaningful progress in the conservation of the Amazon and protection of the environment on a global scale.
The combination of deforestation and climate changes have reduced the forest ability to retain moisture, contributing to the prolonged dry period. This period not only threatens the flora and fauna, but also increases the risk of forest fires, which destroy large areas of the forest.
The drought in the Amazon is a complex problem that requires an integrated approach. Within this context, the environmental agencies play a fundamental role in combating
this issues, as they operate in various areas, from research and monitoring to the regulation and protection of natural areas. Valuing and strengthening these agencies is essential to guarantee the preservation of this vital biome and mitigate the impact of climate changes. Coordinated actions and continued investments are also necessary.
The burning of large forest areas releases enormous amounts of carbon dioxide (CO2) and other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, contributing significantly to global warming. The Amazon, which acts as an important carbon sink, loses this function when it is destroyed by fire. The smoke from the fires cause serious respiratory problems and other diseases in the local population. In addition, the air pollution can spread to distant areas, affecting public health on a regional scale. The indigenous, quilombolas and riverine communities depend on forest for their way of life and livelihood. The destruction of their lands and lack of water caused by dry spell force these communities to face significant economical and social challenges.
We are facing an environmental crisis that requires urgent actions, which includes:
- Strengthening policies that promote deforestation reduction, protect forest areas and encourages sustainable agro-extractive practices;
- Research investment aimed at better ways to understand climate pattern and the impacts of drought, as well as monitoring systems able to improve the capacity to predict and respond to droughts and floods;
- Valuing environmental agencies — such as IBAMA and Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation (ICMBio) — and their staff, who inspect and protect our ecosystem.
The drought in the Amazon is a clear warning of the urgency to act and adopt measures that reconcile socioeconomic development with environmental conservation, thereby ensuring the resilience of the Amazon rainforest and the well-being of its population. The current year will experience an atypical and severe climate event highlighting the need for coordinated actions to address the looming crisis. The level of Negro river bellow the 2023 flood levels, for example, indicated the severity of the situation. Past events have shown us that integrated actions are crucial for addressing the challenges posed by drought and for developing effective strategies to protect the forest affected by climate changes.
Instituto Juruá reinforces the importance of these measures and declares its support for the demands of IBAMA and ICMBio, which are vital for the protection of our forest and other ecosystems.
