The “Lungs” Of The World Are Burning?
In the past week, social media has been flooded with concern over the Amazon. According to posts from prominent actors such as Leonardo DiCaprio and powerful politicians like French president Emmanuel Macron, fires are ravaging the vast rain forest, the so-called “the lungs of the earth” which produce 20% of the Earth’s oxygen.
You already guessed it- something’s not right here. Forbes contributor Michael Schellenberger wrote an excellent article cutting through the noise- and there is plenty of it. Mr. Schellenberger spoke to Dr. Daniel Nepstad, one of the world’s foremost experts on the Amazon rainforest. According to Dr. Nepstad, the idea that the Amazon functions as the world’s lungs is “bullshit….The Amazon produces a lot of oxygen but it uses the same amount of oxygen through respiration so it’s a wash.”
Furthermore, some media outlets have claimed that the fires are unprecedented. In reality, the number of fires in 2019 is 7% higher than the 10 year average, according to Dr. Nepstad. To be fair, there has been an 80% increase over last year, but these fires have not come out of nowhere.
Interestingly, the highest rate of fires was under former, disgraced president Lula da Silva from 2003–2008, according to journalist Leonardo Coutinho. Where was the outrage then? Social media wasn’t nearly as sophisticated, to be sure, but there’s another reason for the outrage now.
A reason that you are now familiar with.
The current president of Brazil, Jair Bolsonaro, a former military officer. Mr. Bolsonaro has strong traditional and conservative values. He is opposed to same-sex marriage, abortion and affirmative action, among other policies. Lula was leftist and progressive, a man of the worker’s party.
Mr. Bolsonaro has been described as populist and far-right by the media. By the same media (and its surrogates) that are now lamenting what’s happening in the Amazon.
To recap: The Amazon is not the lungs of the world, the number of fires for this year is barely higher than the 10 year average, Lula’s leftist government burned the most and the current president of Brazil has vastly different politics than those raising a ruckus on social media.
Before you assume that I am a far-right fanatic who solely journeys to exotic locales to burn forests, let me make some things clear. I am all for protecting the Amazon, lowering burning and putting pressure on governments to make it happen.
Mr. Bolsonaro is no environmentalist, that I agree with. He is more concerned with development and has slashed environment protections. His aggressive free market stance needs to be watched carefully.
However, make sure you know the facts. Do those freaking out know that deforestation declined by 70% from 2004 to 2012? Or that significant portions of the rainforest are already protected?
If you are going to criticize, be constructive about it. As Dr. Nepstad pointed out: “Macron’s tweet had the same impact on Bolsanaro’s base as Hillary calling Trump’s base deplorable. The Brazilians want to know why California gets all this sympathy for its forest fires and while Brazil gets all this finger pointing.”
Brazil is still developing. The people who set fires to the Amazon are often doing it for housing, food and other essentials. They may care about the environment, but they need to provide for themselves and their families first.
As citizens of a developed nation, it’s easy to sit back and be armchair activists. Imagine having to burn down some trees to raise crops and feed your family. Once you do so, you get criticized by people who will probably never have to make that choice.
Be concerned about the environment, absolutely!
Still, make sure that you are keeping in mind those affected the most by the fires- Brazilians and other South Americans- when you become an “activist.”
Originally published at https://theprimacyofpolitics.blogspot.com.