Amnesty International urgently appealed on Monday for an “extraordinary response” from the heads of state in South America. This call to action comes in light of the catastrophic wildfires wreaking havoc on the Amazon rainforest and other critical ecosystems on the continent.
In response to two months of unrelenting, record-setting wildfires, Amnesty issued a public plea to the presidents of Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Paraguay, and Peru. The human rights organization stressed the need for a unified governmental effort to combat the crisis.
“The global community is watching, and there is no time to waste in saving the Amazon basin and other invaluable ecosystems in South America from complete destruction,” said Ana Piquer, the Americas Director for Amnesty International, in an official statement.
“Now, more than ever, South American leaders need to urgently take impactful steps to avert a climate disaster that could have irreversible effects on the entire world and future generations,” she further stressed. “The moment to act is now.”
Earlier this month, official satellite data from Brazil revealed that the continent has experienced more fire hotspots this year than any other on record. Fires in the Amazon have given rise to a “venomous smoke cloud” that spans an area larger than the entire United States, as reported by Live Science.
The smoke from these wildfires contributes to thousands of premature deaths in South America annually. The recent surge in fires has sparked widespread calls for action from public health proponents and climate justice activists across multiple countries.
Indigenous leaders from the affected regions are set to hold a media briefing to discuss the ongoing crisis on Wednesday, September 25, in New York, as informed by Amazon Watch.
