By If you’re like us, you’ve been watching the news over the last few weeks in horror.
The fires in the Amazon are beyond heartbreaking and devastating. Rainforest Action Network and our partners have worked for decades to support the protection of these ancient and deeply important rainforests. Considered the lungs of the planet, producing 20% of the oxygen in the Earth’s atmosphere, the survival of the Amazon Rainforest is critical to the survival of us all. From the oxygen we breathe to the clean water we drink, we have long held a commitment to keep the destruction of this critically important rainforest at bay. We have supported the work of Indigenous Peoples who live in and understand the Amazon better than anyone in the world.
Why is this Happening?
Climate change is having a devastating impact on global forest including the Amazon due to deforestation and development. Since the rise of Jair Bolsonaro, President of Brazil, we have seen rapid deforestation of the Brazilian Amazon. Some figures say it has been a 67% increase since Bolsonaro has come to power.
To make matters worse, most of the fires have been intentionally set by farmers to clear land for illegal cattle ranching, soy, and other uses. And these fires are causing twice the climate crisis, because the carbon stored by the rainforest is being released into the atmosphere, and the Amazon has played a critical role in absorbing the carbon currently in the atmosphere. With less protection, a government that is encouraging destruction and threatening the rights of Indigenous Peoples, we are now left with the crisis that is at hand.
What can you do?
Many organizations have been working hard to protect the Amazon and are continuing those efforts today.
Support our friends at Amazon Watch: They have a long history of working to protect the rainforest and advance the rights of Indigenous Peoples in the Amazon Basin.
Give to RAN’s Protect-an-Acre program (PAA): Since 1993, we have distributed more than one million dollars in grants to more than 150 frontline communities, Indigenous-led organizations, and allies, helping their efforts to secure protection for millions of acres of traditional territory in forests around the world. Supporting the land rights of Indigenous Peoples is the most effective method of protecting the rainforests, and our PAA program gives you the opportunity to give directly to the frontline communities fighting to stop this destruction.
RAN has also been sending resources directly to Indigenous organizations fighting against Bolsonaro and his destructive administration through our small grants program.
Take Action: We’re also joining a chorus of groups to push the investment firm BlackRock to STOP its plans to develop in the Amazon. Sign the petition today!