We all remember how heartbroken people were over the Notre Dame cathedral burning back in April. Not only was there major media coverage, but there were also billions of donations for a building. But why was the world silent about the major climate crisis of Amazon, the largest rainforest in the world catching flames?
The Amazon rainforest, widely known as the “lung of the earth,” generates 20% of the world’s oxygen, acting as a “carbon dioxide sink” for the polluted atmosphere. On top of that, the Amazon is also the home to 3 million species of plants and animals, as well as 1 million indigenous peoples. Despite its significance, people seem to care less and less about the disappearing forest and environment altogether. The Amazon forest fire is raging on at a record rate for more than three weeks; there have been more than 74,000 fires across Brazil this year, and over 40,000 fires across Amazon, according to Brazil’s National Institute for Space Research. This is an 85% increase in Amazon fires compared to last year.
Environmentalists claim that the majority of the fire were caused by humans. Protesting cattle ranchers, loggers, and farmers wanted to make use of the land. People are blaming the far-right Brazilian president, Jair Bolsonaro, who supported them taking a pro-business stance, encouraging his people to spread indigenous reserves by finding other uses for the Amazon forest.
While the world is backlashing against Brazil and its government, we need to look further into the lives of indigenous peoples and how they have suffered from their failing economy.
Brazil has long suffered from poverty. In fact, according to the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics, the data shows that more than 50 million Brazilians, (approximately 25 percent of its population) live under the poverty line. A major factor leading to poverty is the inequality of land distribution and inadequate access to desirable land in Brazil. The National Public Radio reported back in 2015 that one percent of the Brazilian population controls 50 percent of Brazilian land.
Since developed countries like the U.S. already had their chance to exploit all the natural sources in the world to gain a stable economy, they tell developing countries to not use any more. We all take Amazon’s healthy oxygen for granted, giving nothing back to support the providers’ economy.
I’m not saying that we should allow developing countries to pollute more as they grow. I’m pointing out that developed countries have a responsibility to look after developing countries if they want to share the advantage of any clean resources left.
Sadly, in today’s world, people seem to hate sharing. Sharing land, sharing a home, or sharing a country may sound burdensome at the moment; we just tend to turn our backs to people, growing further apart from humanity. Even now, as we helplessly watch Amazon disappear, President Bolsonaro is still angrily arguing that their sovereignty over Brazil is nonnegotiable, rejecting millions of aid from G7.
The pattern sounds familiar. So now nearly every country has decided to put its share before the shared environment. Selfishness has spread along with carelessness towards our own future. But are we really putting ourselves first? By refusing to acknowledge our responsibility for climate change, what do we get in return? It’s safe to say that this selfish mindset only brings our own doom faster.
All of us are on the edge of the world’s end. This is no longer someone else’s problem. Climate change is a global problem. Treat it the way it deserves that much attention and urgency.
The Amazon rainforest, widely known as the “lung of the earth,” generates 20% of the world’s oxygen, acting as a “carbon dioxide sink” for the polluted atmosphere. On top of that, the Amazon is also the home to 3 million species of plants and animals, as well as 1 million indigenous peoples. Despite its significance, people seem to care less and less about the disappearing forest and environment altogether. The Amazon forest fire is raging on at a record rate for more than three weeks; there have been more than 74,000 fires across Brazil this year, and over 40,000 fires across Amazon, according to Brazil’s National Institute for Space Research. This is an 85% increase in Amazon fires compared to last year.
Environmentalists claim that the majority of the fire were caused by humans. Protesting cattle ranchers, loggers, and farmers wanted to make use of the land. People are blaming the far-right Brazilian president, Jair Bolsonaro, who supported them taking a pro-business stance, encouraging his people to spread indigenous reserves by finding other uses for the Amazon forest.
While the world is backlashing against Brazil and its government, we need to look further into the lives of indigenous peoples and how they have suffered from their failing economy.
Brazil has long suffered from poverty. In fact, according to the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics, the data shows that more than 50 million Brazilians, (approximately 25 percent of its population) live under the poverty line. A major factor leading to poverty is the inequality of land distribution and inadequate access to desirable land in Brazil. The National Public Radio reported back in 2015 that one percent of the Brazilian population controls 50 percent of Brazilian land.
Since developed countries like the U.S. already had their chance to exploit all the natural sources in the world to gain a stable economy, they tell developing countries to not use any more. We all take Amazon’s healthy oxygen for granted, giving nothing back to support the providers’ economy.
I’m not saying that we should allow developing countries to pollute more as they grow. I’m pointing out that developed countries have a responsibility to look after developing countries if they want to share the advantage of any clean resources left.
Sadly, in today’s world, people seem to hate sharing. Sharing land, sharing a home, or sharing a country may sound burdensome at the moment; we just tend to turn our backs to people, growing further apart from humanity. Even now, as we helplessly watch Amazon disappear, President Bolsonaro is still angrily arguing that their sovereignty over Brazil is nonnegotiable, rejecting millions of aid from G7.
The pattern sounds familiar. So now nearly every country has decided to put its share before the shared environment. Selfishness has spread along with carelessness towards our own future. But are we really putting ourselves first? By refusing to acknowledge our responsibility for climate change, what do we get in return? It’s safe to say that this selfish mindset only brings our own doom faster.
All of us are on the edge of the world’s end. This is no longer someone else’s problem. Climate change is a global problem. Treat it the way it deserves that much attention and urgency.