Deforestation to blame for wildfires ripping through the Amazon forest, environmentalist says

[Judi Lynn]

5:00PM

Fires are ripping through the Amazon rainforest at a rapid rate, and an environmentalist who's been in the area says it's all down to deforestation ordered by Brazil's far-right leader.

Satellite data shows an 84 per cent increase in the number of blazes compared to the same time last year.

Greenpeaces's Phil Vine told TVNZ1's Breakfast the "distressing" thing is there is a tipping point for the forest which would impact the rest of the world.

He said 20 per cent of the oxygen we breathe on earth comes out of the Amazon's 400 billion trees, and 20 per cent of the water on earth is cycled through that forest.

"So that gives you an idea of how important it is," he said, adding that the forest also absorbs 2.2 billion tonnes of carbon every year.

More:
https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/world/deforestation-blame-wildfires-ripping-through-amazon-forest-environmentalist-says

[democratisphere]

1. This single situation alone will drastically accelerate global warming and climate change.

This planet needs to eradicate itself of ignorant so-called leaders that are accelerating our inevitable extinction.