Top celebrities like Madonna and Leonardo DiCaprio have raised concern about Amazon fires.
A massive fire has been blazing through the Amazon rainforests in Brazil for days, causing immense loss of rich flora and fauna that abound the region. Not just that, the skyline in cities in and around the forests have been engulfed in smoke due to consequent air pollution. Several environmentalists and researchers have pointed their fingers at cattle ranchers and woodcutters for starting the fire while the government had blamed NGOs for the inferno.
The fires have stirred people across the world, who have since been clamouring for donations from big corporates to douse the flames and restore the delicate ecological balance of the forest. Several A-list celebrities are among those who have been talking about ways to prevent and stop the potential global catastrophe that can spell doom for way too many people.
Some of these superstars have even sought accountability from the country’s President Jair Bolsonaro, who allegedly had been backing ranchers and farmers to exploit the rich natural resources of the rainforest. The president, however, has denied responsibility.
Among the celebrities who have called out the pro-business president is American pop singer Madonna.
She took to Instagram and wrote: “President Bolsonaro please change your policies and help not only your country but the entire planet.”
The Fires Are Raging and The Amazonia continues to burn.........This is a devastation to Brazil—to the indigenous people who live there and the-plant and animal species that make this the most important bio-diverse Forest!!! President Bolsonaro please change your policies and help not only your country but the entire planet. No economic development is more important than protecting this land. we need to WAKE -UP!! The future of the rainforest affects the future of the world! #prayforamazonia #amazonrainforest #brazil #wakeupView this post on InstagramA post shared by Madonna (@madonna) on Aug 22, 2019 at 12:35pm PDT
Some celebrities have also urged their fans to take steps to ensure that they contribute towards containing the climate crisis. Hollywood star Leonardo DiCaprio, who is known for his conservation efforts, urged his 33.8 million followers on Instagram to donate to help the Amazon groups. He also exhorted them to vote to power leaders who would understand environmental concerns and work towards a greener future.
The post with a picture of the Amazon rainforest fire that he shared on Instagram was originally shared by conservation group “Rainforest Alliance”. The post discusses how becoming a vegetarian can prevent further depletion of the Amazon rainforests. It reads: “Be a conscious consumer, taking care to support companies committed to responsible supply chains. Eliminate or reduce consumption of beef; cattle ranching is one of the primary drivers of Amazon deforestation.”
#Regram #RG @rainforestalliance: The lungs of the Earth are in flames. The Brazilian Amazon—home to 1 million Indigenous people and 3 million species—has been burning for more than two weeks straight. There have been 74,000 fires in the Brazilian Amazon since the beginning of this year—a staggering 84% increase over the same period last year (National Institute for Space Research, Brazil). Scientists and conservationists attribute the accelerating deforestation to President Jair Bolsonaro, who issued an open invitation to loggers and farmers to clear the land after taking office in January. The largest rainforest in the world is a critical piece of the global climate solution. Without the Amazon, we cannot keep the Earth’s warming in check. The Amazon needs more than our prayers. So what can YOU do? ✔ As an emergency response, donate to frontline Amazon groups working to defend the forest. ✔ Consider becoming a regular supporter of the Rainforest Alliance’s community forestry initiatives across the world’s most vulnerable tropical forests, including the Amazon; this approach is by far the most effective defense against deforestation and natural forest fires, but it requires deep, long-term collaboration between the communities and the public and private sectors. ✔ Stay on top of this story and keep sharing posts, tagging news agencies and influencers. ✔ Be a conscious consumer, taking care to support companies committed to responsible supply chains. Eliminate or reduce consumption of beef; cattle ranching is one of the primary drivers of Amazon deforestation. ✔ When election time comes, VOTE for leaders who understand the urgency of our climate crisis and are willing to take bold action—including strong governance and forward-thinking policy. #RainforestAlliance #SaveTheAmazon #PrayForAmazonia #AmazonRainforest #ActOnClimate #ForestsResist #ClimateCrisis : @mohsinkazmitakespictures / Windy.comView this post on InstagramA post shared by Leonardo DiCaprio (@leonardodicaprio) on Aug 22, 2019 at 7:12am PDT
Notably, Brazil’s National Institute for Space Research (INPE) data reveal that we have seen 74,000 fires already in 2019.
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