The Heat: Amazon fires

The Heat

Leaders from South American countries who share the Amazon will meet next week on how to best to fight the wildfires.

Since January, Brazil’s National Space Research Institute which monitors deforestation has recorded more than 40,000 fires in the Amazon region. That’s about three football fields’ worth of trees falling every minute in the rainforest.

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has been critical of protections for the Amazon, calling them an obstacle to his country’s economic development. Some of the fires may have been started by illegal clearing of the land.

The Amazon spans nine countries, including neighboring Bolivia, which is also battling its own fires.

CGTN’s Dan Collyns begins our coverage from Taperas, Bolivia.
Follow Dan Collyns on Twitter @yachay_dc

Discussion with:

  • Felipe Milanez is a professor of humanities at Federal University of Bahia.
  • Claudio Angelo is a science writer and the chief communications officer of the Climate Observatory.
  • Sweta Chakraborty is a Risk and Behavorial Scientist and expert on climate science.
  • Rodrigo Constantino is an economist, author and columnist for Brazilian media.

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