Wildfires Ravage Amazon Rainforest: 2019 Brings Record Deforestation - Essay Sample

Introduction

Wildfires in the Amazon rainforest occur during the dry season when people use the slash-and-burn method to clear the land for livestock, logging, and agriculture. Although these activities are illegal, weak enforcement from the government provides a way for people to execute the practices. One significant effect of the fires is that that they cause deforestation of the Amazon rainforest. However, 2019 had an increased rate of forest fire counts that led to heightened international concern. The Amazon rainforest is among the world's carbon dioxide sink and plays a crucial role in the mitigation of global warming (Kelly & Cahlan, 2019). This immense contribution to the ecosystem has led some of the media outlets to refer to it as the lungs of the world.

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LA Times - United States

Reports by the Los Angeles Times lay pressure on the government for contributing to the deforestation of the Amazon. An article on the newspaper's website state that deforestation is at its worst in a decade. The government has done little to gain people's confidence as it disputes findings by environmentalists in an attempt to mask the extent of the damage to the environment. Environmentalists strongly believe that President Bolsonaro's administration has contributed to the arson, considering it is advocating for protections around natural reserves to be loosened to promote economic development (Associated Press, 2019). As a result, the government has been accused of deliberately weakening environmental legislation to promote the economic interests of large agribusinesses. The article continues to put the Brazilian government on the spot over the incident by citing mounting pressure from a section of European leaders. However, away from the government, the article indicates that an upsurge of illegal activities such as logging and mining contributed to the devastating wildfires experienced in 2019 (Associated Press, 2019).

Rio Times - Brazil

Rio Times of Brazil reported that Bolsonaro's government had started to curve to international pressure by announcing robust measures to combat the forest fires. This action came amid fears by the agribusiness that there would be sanctions hurting their exports. These concerns arise from the pressure caused by consumers and environmentalists, requiring the government to enact stricter legislation that would promote the conservation of the environment, thus help in protecting the Amazon rainforest. The fear by exporters that failing to comply with the demands from the activists and international community would hurt their business helps to amplify the voice of the civil society in asking the government to reconsider its economic development policy (Alves, 2019). This newspaper paints a government that is eager to heed to pressure and revoke policies that promote deforestation. The efforts by the government to combat the fire demonstrates the willingness by Bolsonaro's administration to end the crisis and stop the deforestation.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the 2019 Amazon rainforest fire took place at the onset of the dry season in Brazil, similar to other years. The fires raised concerns following the increased rate of the reported incidents, which implied a higher rate of deforestation. The report from the U.S based newspaper LA Times presents Brazil's leadership as being an enemy of the environment by promoting laws that do not protect the environment. Brazilian media, on the other hand, shows a government that is attempting to curb the damage caused by the fires. These efforts entail announcing stronger measures to stop the fires. While the U.S media presents a rebellious government that is at war with the environment, Brazilian media presents a government that is keen to protect the environment.

References

Alves, L. (2019, August 25). Brazil's Agrobusiness Interests Fear Amazon Fires May Hurt Exports. Rio Times. Retrieved December 6, 2019, from https://riotimesonline.com/brazil-news/brazil/brazils-agrobusiness-fear-amazon-fires-may-hurt-exports/.

Associated Press. (2019, November 19). Brazil says Amazon deforestation is worst since 2008. Retrieved December 6, 2019, from https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2019-11-18/brazil-says-amazon-deforestation-is-worst-since-2008.

Kelly, M, & Cahlan, S. (2019, October 7). Analysis | The Brazilian Amazon is still burning. Who is responsible? Washington Post. Retrieved December 6, 2019, from https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2019/10/07/brazilian-amazon-is-still-burning-who-is-responsible/.