August 01, 2019

Illegal logging and mining in the Amazon - fears became a reality

topic:	Nature
located:	Brazil
editor:	Magdalena Rojo

Illegal logging and mining in the Amazon rainforest were the fears that many in the world had when Jair Bolsonaro entered as the Brazilian President. Now, they are no longer just fears but a real threat, putting the Amazon and its indigenous population in a similar position to what they were during colonial times – being exploited by the greedy. Except now the whole world is looking.

According to the Brazilian government data, the deforestation of the Amazon rainforest is taking place at a rate of three football fields per minute. Scientists say that it is reaching a tipping point from which it will not recover. The Guardian also states that the forest is in danger of degrading into a savannah that will, of course, have an impact on global warming all around the world.

Apart from destroying the rainforest by logging and burning it down, two days ago, media around the world informed us of the case of illegal gold miners entering a preserve of the Wajãpi community from the Amapá state at the border of Brazil and French Guiana. Inhabitants of the Yvytotõ village fled from the armed gold miners after they had found their leader dead in a river. After the indigenous people's calls for help, federal police and prosecutors said they were going to investigate the case.

While new studies are declaring the importance of planting trees to tackle climate change, Jair Bolsonaro calls his government's data of deforestation "a lie". He mentions repeatedly that the Amazon's reserves are rich in minerals. He argues in favour of the Amazon’s exploitation, with the fact that indigenous people have the right to access to technology, information, and science, and that they want to produce as well.

Even if that was the case, indigenous people would not be the ones to benefit from mining and deforestation. On the contrary, their areas are being exploited and polluted while Bolsonaro is searching for partners in the "first world" to benefit from the resources in their territories.

Many states of the so-called Global North are always willing to protect the environment or human rights – as long as it does not intervene with their economic plans that is. Until when are their political leaders going to wait to give a stop to the far-right Brazilian President (and others similar to him)?

The Amazon rainforest might belong to Brazil, as Bolsonaro states, but the impact of its destruction will affect us all. Solutions to the climate crisis lie in putting the environment first, before the economic interests. Or searching for ways to do both, but not ignoring how serious the situation is.

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