{"id":219919,"date":"2022-09-19T12:00:25","date_gmt":"2022-09-19T11:00:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/?p=219919"},"modified":"2025-01-10T15:06:35","modified_gmt":"2025-01-10T15:06:35","slug":"a-devastating-burning-season-for-the-brazilian-amazon","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/2022\/09\/a-devastating-burning-season-for-the-brazilian-amazon\/","title":{"rendered":"A Devastating Burning Season for the Brazilian Amazon"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"container-large max-w-lg mx-auto px-6 sm:px-8 md:pr-14 md:pl-24 x2l:px-0 x2l:mx-32 x3l:mx-auto\">\n<div>\n<div>\n<header class=\"news-header max-w-lg mt-6 md:mt-0 mb-4 sm:mb-6 md:mb-12\">\n<div class=\"news-header__main text-gray-800\">\n<p class=\"byline__name flex\" style=\"text-align: center;\"><em><strong>Illegal Deforestation Linked to Violence, Loss of Livelihoods for Communities<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"byline__container mt-3 flex flex-wrap text-gray-800 flex-col\">\n<div class=\"byline__content flex flex-row ml-1 mb-1 mt-4\">\n<div>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-229932 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/menareport.files.wordpress.com\/2022\/09\/202209ehr_brazial_amazon.jpg.webp\" alt=\"202209ehr_Brazial_amazon.jpg\" width=\"309\" height=\"206\" data-attachment-id=\"229932\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/human-wrongs-watch.net\/2022\/09\/18\/a-devastating-burning-season-for-the-brazilian-amazon\/202209ehr_brazial_amazon-jpg\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/menareport.files.wordpress.com\/2022\/09\/202209ehr_brazial_amazon.jpg.webp\" data-orig-size=\"870,580\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"202209ehr_Brazial_amazon.jpg\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/menareport.files.wordpress.com\/2022\/09\/202209ehr_brazial_amazon.jpg.webp?w=300\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/menareport.files.wordpress.com\/2022\/09\/202209ehr_brazial_amazon.jpg.webp?w=870\" \/><\/p>\n<div style=\"text-align: center;\">\n<figure class=\"figure figure--expand text-center\"><figcaption class=\"figure__info text-left font-serif text-xs md:text-sm lg:text-base mx-auto text-gray-700 mt-1\"><em><span class=\"figure__caption\">Fire consumes land deforested by cattle farmers ranchers near Novo Progresso, Para Par\u00e1 State, Brazil, August 2020.<\/span><span class=\"figure__credit\">\u00a9 2022 AP\/Andre Penner<\/span><strong><span class=\"figure__credit\"><br \/>\n<\/span><\/strong><\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/header>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"container-large max-w-lg mx-auto px-6 sm:px-8 md:pr-14 md:pl-24 x2l:px-0 x2l:mx-32 x3l:mx-auto\">\n<div class=\"grid-2-1-content x2l:flex lg:flex mx-auto justify-between \">\n<div class=\"grid-2 w-full flex-col lg:flex lg:w-3\/5 lg:px-0 \">\n<div>\n<div class=\"mb-8 md:mb-14\">\n<div>\n<div class=\"article-body article-body--contained rich-text mx-auto\">\n<p><em>18 Sep 2022 &#8211; <\/em>There were <a href=\"https:\/\/www1.folha.uol.com.br\/ambiente\/2022\/09\/na-independencia-amazonia-passa-numero-de-queimadas-de-setembro-de-2021.shtml\"  target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">more fires<\/a> in the Brazilian Amazon during the first week of September this year than in all of September 2021. Last month, fires were the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/green\/2022\/09\/04\/amazon-records-worst-month-in-august-for-fires-in-over-a-decade-according-to-brazil-space-\"  target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">worst in a decade<\/a>. It is amounting to a devastating burning season for the world\u2019s largest rainforest.<\/p>\n<p>Fire is not natural in the Amazon\u2019s wet ecosystem, rather it is often part of the deforestation process. Deforestation in the Amazon is overwhelmingly <a href=\"https:\/\/s3.amazonaws.com\/alerta.mapbiomas.org\/rad2021\/RAD2021_Completo_FINAL_Rev1.pdf\"  target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">illegal<\/a>. Illegally deforested areas are often intentionally set on fire to permanently convert forest to pastureland. These fires can sometimes spread beyond clearings into healthy forest, causing even greater damage.<\/p>\n<p>In Terra Nossa, a rural settlement created in 2006 for landless peasants, fires that were likely cases of arson, burned down a sizeable area of the community\u2019s crop fields in August. Some of the fires also <a href=\"https:\/\/g1.globo.com\/jornal-nacional\/noticia\/2022\/08\/16\/pf-investiga-acao-de-grileiros-para-expulsar-colonos-e-derrubar-areas-de-mata-nativa-no-para.ghtml\"  target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">burned<\/a> part of the surrounding forest reserve. In addition to losing their livelihoods, several Terra Nossa residents were sickened by the <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hrw.org\/report\/2020\/08\/26\/air-unbearable\/health-impacts-deforestation-related-fires-brazilian-amazon\" >thick smoke<\/a> blanketing their houses. Residents believe the fires were set to forcibly displace several families and <a href=\"https:\/\/g1.globo.com\/jornal-nacional\/noticia\/2022\/08\/16\/pf-investiga-acao-de-grileiros-para-expulsar-colonos-e-derrubar-areas-de-mata-nativa-no-para.ghtml\"  target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">take over<\/a> their lands.<\/p>\n<p>Over the past four years, government policies have weakened environmental law enforcement agencies, undermining their ability to effectively <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hrw.org\/news\/2020\/05\/22\/brazils-own-data-shows-amazon-fines-unenforced\" >sanction<\/a>environmental crime or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.climatechangenews.com\/2021\/05\/25\/brazils-environment-minister-investigated-illegal-logging-cover\/\"  target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">detect<\/a> exports of illegal timber. Terra Nossa\u2019s residents are victims of this inaction over environmental crimes and violence against forest defenders.<\/p>\n<p>Residents of Terra Nossa have repeatedly <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hrw.org\/report\/2019\/09\/17\/rainforest-mafias\/how-violence-and-impunity-fuel-deforestation-brazils-amazon#_ftn78\" >denounced<\/a> illegal logging and fires on their territory. While government inspectors confirmed that ranchers were illegally occupying land there, authorities have not taken action to remove them.<\/p>\n<p>In 2018, a Terra Nossa resident was <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hrw.org\/report\/2019\/09\/17\/rainforest-mafias\/how-violence-and-impunity-fuel-deforestation-brazils-amazon\" >killed<\/a>, and another <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hrw.org\/report\/2019\/09\/17\/rainforest-mafias\/how-violence-and-impunity-fuel-deforestation-brazils-amazon\" >disappeared<\/a> after they announced plans to report environmental crime to the authorities. The brother of one of the victims was also <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hrw.org\/report\/2019\/09\/17\/rainforest-mafias\/how-violence-and-impunity-fuel-deforestation-brazils-amazon\" >killed<\/a>, as was the leader of a farmers\u2019 trade union after he too announced plans to report illegal logging. Community leaders have repeatedly <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hrw.org\/report\/2019\/09\/17\/rainforest-mafias\/how-violence-and-impunity-fuel-deforestation-brazils-amazon\" >received death threats<\/a> since.<\/p>\n<p>Powerful multinational businesses that source their agricultural commodities from ranchers and loggers operating illegally benefit from this crisis of impunity. Investigations by nongovernmental organizations and news outlets have exposed how Brazilian <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amnesty.org\/en\/documents\/amr19\/2657\/2020\/en\/\"  target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">beef<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2021\/11\/17\/climate\/leather-seats-cars-rainforest.htm\"  target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">leather<\/a>, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.climatechangenews.com\/2021\/05\/25\/brazils-environment-minister-investigated-illegal-logging-cover\/\"  target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">timber<\/a> sourced from illegal operations in the Amazon are laundered and sold on the legal market, and exported around the world.<\/p>\n<p>The international community should end its participation in this destruction by adopting and rigorously implementing legislation to restrict the import of agricultural commodities linked to deforestation and rights abuses.<\/p>\n<p>_________________________________________________<\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><em><a href=\"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/luciana_tellez-chavez.webp\" ><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft wp-image-219921\" src=\"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/luciana_tellez-chavez.webp\" alt=\"\" width=\"90\" height=\"90\" \/><\/a>Luciana T\u00e9llez Ch\u00e1vez<\/em><em> &#8211; Researcher, Environment and Human Rights<\/em><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/human-wrongs-watch.net\/2022\/09\/18\/a-devastating-burning-season-for-the-brazilian-amazon\/\" >Go to Original &#8211; humanwrongswatch.net<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>18 Sep 2022 &#8211; Illegal Deforestation Linked to Violence, Loss of Livelihoods for Communities &#8211; There were more fires in the Brazilian Amazon during the first week of Sep this year than in all of Sep 2021. Last month, fires were the worst in a decade. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":219921,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[61],"tags":[2302,536,547,232,550,794,519,555,401,562,626,610,2702,2580,2198,2060,1255,1213],"class_list":["post-219919","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-environment","tag-amazon","tag-amazonia","tag-brazil","tag-capitalism","tag-corruption","tag-deforestation","tag-ecology","tag-elites","tag-environment","tag-finance","tag-greed","tag-inequality","tag-native-cultures","tag-native-south-americans","tag-post-capitalism","tag-profits","tag-rain-forests","tag-super-rich"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/219919","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=219919"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/219919\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":284599,"href":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/219919\/revisions\/284599"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/219921"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=219919"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=219919"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=219919"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}