Amazon Forest Fires Raise Stakes in Climate Change Crisis

The fires that destroyed a large swath of the Amazon rainforest this past week have possibly made it more difficult to slow down the effects of climate change while also worsening our current state due to the carbon emissions from the smoke rising to the atmosphere.

"The effects of forest destruction in the Amazon don't stay in the Amazon. They affect us all," said Robin Chazdon, professor emerita at the University of Connecticut who has studied tropical forest ecology.
But there's more at stake than people might realize, Chazdon said. "There are large negative consequences for climate change globally, as the fires contribute to carbon emissions," she added. If the rainforests are "not allowed to regenerate or be reforested, they will not be able to recover their high potential for carbon storage."

Forests may be able to recover after a fire but not if there are periodic fires occuring, such as what has been happening at the Amazon rainforest. It would take more effort for us to mitigate the effects of climate change with our forests depleting at an alarming rate. Even plans to repopulate and plant a trillion trees might not be enough.

"Forests can regrow following fires, but not if fires are repeated every few years and not if the land is converted to agriculture," Chazdon said.
She added that the shrinking of the Amazon and its transition into scrubland "could bring a tipping point to forest functioning that is not easily reversible."

(Image credit: Neil Palmer/CIAT/Flickr; Wikimedia Commons)


Newest 1
Newest 1 Comment

Unfortunatelly, I dare say it is quite worse, since a few weeks ago Brazillian President Jair Bolsonaro fired the director from INPE (which is a very respectable institute for satellite image and spacial data in general) for publishing data showing the environmental damage in the Amazon.Just as well, (Anti)Environmental Minister Ricardo Salles is quite possibly the worst possible person to be responsible for protecting the Amazon, as his campaign would enforce "solutions" for farmers in the region just as his newest project after the huge backlash was to ensure 'monetize' the florest (which, by the way, is EXACTLY what got us here with this very problem, by farmers who want to monetize the Amazon land).
Abusive comment hidden. (Show it anyway.)
Login to comment.




Email This Post to a Friend
"Amazon Forest Fires Raise Stakes in Climate Change Crisis"

Separate multiple emails with a comma. Limit 5.

 

Success! Your email has been sent!

close window
X

This website uses cookies.

This website uses cookies to improve user experience. By using this website you consent to all cookies in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

I agree
 
Learn More