Both Bolivia and Brazil are facing unprecedented environmental emergencies, driven by fires and droughts that are destroying key ecosystems and affecting millions of people.
Brazil's Amazon region is experiencing its worst drought since 1950, severely affecting the state of Amazonas, where the government has declared an "emergency situation" in its 62 municipalities. This extreme drought has caused a significant decrease in the flow of rivers, forest fires and a profound impact on local communities.
In municipalities like Manaquiri, near Manaus, riverbeds are completely without water, leaving isolated rural communities and aquatic life at risk. Families are forced to travel long distances to access water and schools, as river transport has been disrupted. This situation affects about 80,000 families throughout the state, which has the largest indigenous population in Brazil.
In addition, the drought has led to an alarming increase in forest fires. Currently, Brazil has more than 3,600 active centers, half of them in the Amazon. In the state of Amazonas there are 237 outbreaks, and other areas such as São Paulo and Minas Gerais are also fighting fires that are suspected to have been caused.
In Bolivia, uncontrollable fires have consumed more than 4.1 million hectares, seriously affecting the regions of Santa Cruz and Beni. The fires, initially caused by agricultural producers to clear land, have gone out of control due to an extreme drought, and there are currently 54 active fires in Santa Cruz alone. The authorities fear that, by October, up to 4 million hectares will be burned in this region alone.
The Tierra Foundation reports that these affected areas include important biodiversity reserves, such as the San Matías Natural Park, where more than 2 million hectares have been destroyed. Local wildlife, including threatened species such as the Paraba Azul, are suffering the consequences. In addition, the density of smoke has affected major cities, disrupting flights and endangering the health of the population.
Both nations are suffering the consequences of the climate crisis, with deforestation and agricultural burning as exacerbating factors. This phenomenon, in addition to irreversibly damaging the Amazonian ecosystem, is affecting the local economy, making it difficult to transport medicines and food, and worsening the situation of already vulnerable rural communities. The climate crisis in the region threatens to continue in the coming months, further aggravating the problems in this crucial region for the global environmental balance.
Source: https://www.portafolio.co/internacional/amazonia-con-la-peor-sequia-desde-1950-612912
https://www.france24.com/es/am%C3%A9rica-latina/20240904-los-incendios-provocados-arrasan-millones-de-hect%C3%A1reas-en-la-amazonia-boliviana