This year has witnessed a lot of tragedies, from a global pandemic to devastating forest fires in Amazon as well as Australia. However, there is another tragedy that our planet is currently going through, and it is a threat not only to us humans but to our entire ecosystem.(WETLAND )
Since July, the largest wetland in South America’s Pantanal Region has been burning, and satellite images show that the blazes have already consumed about 28% of the vast floodplain that spreads across Brazil, Bolivia, and Paraguay. But sadly, this has mostly been unnoticed by the outside world. The fires have not only destroyed the unique habitats but also wrecked the livelihoods of many of the Pantanal’s diverse indigenous communities.
The Bigger Picture:
The impact of this environmental catastrophe reaches far beyond the region.
Wetlands act as the Earth’s most effective carbon sink as they absorb more carbon dioxide than they produce.
The Pantanal Wetland spread across twenty thousand square kilometers and comprises about 3% of the globe’s total wetland area, making it the largest wetland on Earth and plays a crucial role in carbon recycle.
When large, carbon-rich ecosystems like this burn, immense amounts of heat-trapping gases are released back into the atmosphere, adding to the ever-growing issue of greenhouse gas emissions.
Fauna Abode
Photo Source: CAPX
The wetlands of Pantanal’s have a unique biome where large swathes of land periodically turn from terrestrial into aquatic habitats and back again, also known as flood pulse. This hs made it home to thousands of endangered or unusual species such as jaguars, capybaras, black caimans, giant otters, and hyacinth macaws. This wetland also acts as a significant stop on the routes of around 180 species of migratory birds. In fact, according to World Wide Fund for Nature, the Pantanal has the highest concentration of Wildlife in South America, higher than its relatively more famous neighbor, the Amazon.
Breaking Prior Records
According to Government researchers, this year’s fire in the Pantanal Wetland has been the worst to date. With over 21,000 fires in Brazil’s Pantanal wetland recorded so far, shattering the prior record from the year 2005.
Adding to Woes
This year, the Pantanal, although a wetland, was suffering its worst drought in 47 years.
The drought situation has not only contributed to the spread of the fire but burning down the wetland has worsened the drought situation.
Who is Responsible?
The government in Brazil is blaming the drought, but experts say that this fire is mostly man-made. Earlier in July this year, the Brazilian government imposed a ban on fires for a period of 120 days in both the Amazon as well as the Pantanal, but it was not enforced strictly. As a result, the farmers living around these areas regularly used fire as a way to clear farm fields. Experts are saying, such unsupervised fires along with extreme drought conditions have resulted in this catastrophic wildfire.
Who is Responsible
The government in Brazil is blaming the drought, but experts say that this fire is mostly man-made. Earlier in July this year, the Brazilian government imposed a ban on fires for a period of 120 days in both the Amazon as well as the Pantanal but lacked proper enforcement. As a result, the farmers living around these areas regularly used fire as a way to clear farm fields. Experts are saying, such unsupervised fires along with extreme drought conditions have resulted in this catastrophic wildfire.
The ongoing fire has caused and is continuing to cause irreversible damage to the ecological balance of our planet. The worst part is that it is caused mostly due to human activities. At a time when environmental activists are urging everyone more than ever to take steps towards conserving our environment to ensure the survival of the human race, incidents like this push us further from achieving a sustainable future.
The government of Brazil has refused to take the blame for this incident and continues to accuse the ongoing drought situation. But we need to realize that the drought too happened due to rapid deforestation for which we humans are Responsible.
Read Also : Global Ice Melting – Climate Change Indicator
Down South
Photo Source: NY Times
Sadly, there have been more such incidents of wildfires in other parts of the world as well. Earlier this, there was a series of massive bushfires across Australia due to record-breaking temperatures and months of severe drought.
Photo Source: LADbible
Two people and approximately 25,000 lost their lives as the bush fire spread rapidly and devastated Kangaroo Island in the State of South Australia. The Island is known for its unique mix of animal species, but now there are fears that it may recover.
Tags: #climate, #climateaction, #climatechange, #climatechangeisreal, #climatecrisis, #climateemergency, #climatestrike, #earth, #eco, #ecofriendly, #environment, #fridaysforfuture, #getgreengetgrowing, #globalwarming, #gngagritech, #gogreen, #green, #greenstories, #gretathunberg, #nature
