The year 2024 was a difficult one for the Amazon rainforest. Wildfires raged across the region, fueled by severe drought conditions. Experts believe that the warming climate made the situation worse, leading to the worst year for fires since 2005.
Some of these fires may have been set on purpose to clear land for cattle ranching. This contributed to the ongoing problem of deforestation in the Amazon. The Amazon rainforest is a vital ecosystem that spans eight countries and one territory.
It is twice the size of India and plays a crucial role in storing carbon dioxide, which helps to slow down global warming. The Amazon is also home to about 20% of the world’s fresh water and an incredible variety of plant and animal life, including 16,000 known tree species. Despite its importance, governments have often seen the Amazon as a resource to be exploited, with little concern for sustainability or the rights of Indigenous peoples who live there.
Experts warn that illegal activities like mining and logging are increasing at an alarming rate.
Drought’s impact on Amazon ecosystems
People living in the affected areas were hit hard by the extreme weather.
In Humaita, a town in the Brazilian state of Amazonas, residents saw the Madeira River, a tributary of the Amazon, dry up because of the drought. They had to transport drinking water from Humaita to nearby communities along the dry riverbanks. Andrew Miller, an advocacy director at Amazon Watch, stressed the seriousness of the situation.
“The fires and drought experienced in 2024 across the Amazon rainforest could be warning signs that we are reaching the long-feared ecological tipping point,” he said. “Humanity’s window of opportunity to reverse this trend is shrinking but still open.”
There were some positive developments in 2024. Both Brazil and Colombia reported a decrease in the rate of Amazon forest loss.
At a United Nations conference on biodiversity, nations agreed to give Indigenous peoples a bigger role in making decisions about nature conservation. “If the Amazon rainforest is to avoid the tipping point, Indigenous people will have been a key factor,” Miller added. Photos taken throughout the year showed the harsh reality: boats stranded on dry riverbeds, skies filled with smoke from wildfires in places like Manaus, and Indigenous communities struggling to get aid and clean water.
The events of 2024 highlighted the urgent need for countries around the world to work together to protect the Amazon rainforest and support the resilience of its ecosystems and communities.
