In late-August, massive fires erupted in the Amazon forest in Brazil, triggering demands for better protection of the “lungs of the earth” across the globe. The latest wildfires contained thousands of hotspots spanning several states in the Amazonas, Rondonia, Para and Mato Grosso counties. In addition to Brazil, the fires have also spread to forests in the neighbouring Peru, Bolivia and Paraguay. As efforts to contain the blaze commenced, there have also been criticism of the Brazilian Government’s management of the situation. Clearing of forest lands for farming and ranching are considered to be main contributors to the devastating fires.
Amid allegations of being complicit in the forest destruction, the Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has accused NGOs for the fires. French President, Emmanuel Macron, suggested the G7 summit as a forum to discuss the fires, and this was supported by the Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and German Chancellor Angela Merkel. The Brazilian Government has resisted this initiative. While G7 members pledged to provide US$20 million in aid for Brazil to combat the blaze, the chief of staff for President Jair Bolsonaro rejected the offer and labelled Macron’s move as “colonialist” and mocking the France for failing to stop the “avoidable” Notre Dame blaze. Elsewhere, protests also erupted in front of the diplomatic missions of Brazil around the world over the fires.
The Government’s handling of the fires, as well as the resistance to discuss this at the G7 summit highlight a growing resistance amongst the world’s most senior politicians to tackle difficult issues. At the same time, the Brazilian Government’s blaming of NGOs is another worrying trend and tactic that is being used in several countries.