Fires and extreme drought unleash unprecedented climate crisis in Brazil

The country faces alarming levels of deforestation, air pollution and drought, with a 132% increase in wildfires compared to 2023, affecting both essential biomes and urban life.

Brazil is experiencing an unprecedented climate emergency, where drought and forest fires are devastating vast regions. According to the Amazon Environmental Research Institute (IPAM), fires increased by 132% in August 2024, compared to the same month of the previous year. This crisis It affects not only the Amazon, but also the Pantanal, the Cerrado and states such as São Paulo and Minas Gerais, with serious consequences for the environment and public health.

Climate change has played a crucial role, but the lack of preventive measures is making the situation worse. In Mato Grosso do Sul, for example, fires have increased by 600%. In total, more than a third of Brazil’s territory is suffering the effects of drought, leaving rivers dry and communities isolated, while toxic smoke from the fires reaches large cities such as São Paulo, which was ranked as the city with the most polluted air in the world for several days in September.

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The El Niño phenomenon, coupled with a warmer North Atlantic, has intensified drought, creating conditions conducive to the spread of fire. Cities and ecosystems unprepared to cope with such levels of dryness have been particularly vulnerable, as in the case of the Madeira River, which recorded its lowest level in 60 years, affecting communities that depend on it for their livelihood.

Despite the urgency of the situation, government responses have been criticised for being slow and uncoordinated. President Lula da Silva, who will attend the UN Future Summit, faces questions about his handling of the crisis. While promises have been made to create a climate authority and legislative measures, effective action has so far been lacking.

The emergency continues, and there are fears that the situation will worsen in the coming months if decisive action is not taken to halt the destruction of biomes and mitigate the effects of climate change.