novembro, 04 2024

While the world is discussing biodiversity conservation at COP16 in Cali, Colombia, the environmental crisis is relentless and wildfires continue to rise in Brazil's main biomes. In the first ten months of 2024, the number of fire outbreaks is higher than that recorded in the same period last year in the Amazon (51% increase), the Cerrado (almost 70%) and the Pantanal (over 600%).

In October, the figures were higher than the average for the last five years in the Amazon (over 11%) and the Pantanal (over 35%). In the Cerrado, the value was 20% below the average.

“The devastation caused by fires not only jeopardises the rich biodiversity we have, but also worsens climate change by releasing significant amounts of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere,” says Alexandre Prado, Climate Change leader at WWF-Brazil.

According to him, the conclusion of the Biodiversity COP16 in Cali and the upcoming Climate COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan, represent crucial moments to address the environmental crisis we are facing.

“These events are valuable opportunities to discuss and implement effective conservation and restoration strategies. It is essential that countries commit to adopting policies that protect our ecosystems, promoting sustainable practices and encouraging the recovery of degraded areas,” says Prado.

Prado stresses that collaboration between nations, local communities, the private sector and non-governmental organisations is critical to promote environmental education and raise awareness about the importance of biodiversity.

“Only with coordinated and effective actions will we be able to mitigate the impacts of fires and ensure a healthier and more balanced future for our planet. COP16, in Cali, and COP29, in Baku, should be a milestone in this process, enabling dialogues and decisions on financial agreements that enable effective actions to preserve nature,” she says.

According to Helga Correa, a conservation specialist at WWF-Brazil, the increase in fire outbreaks is one of the results of the extreme pressure on biomes, caused by human action.

“The alarming scenario presented by the Living Planet Report highlights the urgency of effective actions to reverse the loss of biodiversity and the impacts of climate change. The average reduction of 73% in wildlife populations monitored in just five decades is a clear sign that our ecosystems are under extreme pressure, as a result of human activities such as fires and deforestation,” says Helga.

According to her, international conferences, such as COP16 on Biodiversity and the upcoming COP29 on Climate, are crucial opportunities for countries to unite around global commitments to environmental protection.

“These negotiations are not only relevant for the conservation of species, but also essential for the health and well-being of humanity, since we depend on healthy ecosystems to maintain water, clean air and agricultural productivity,” she says.

Wildfires in the Amazon: record in 17 years
Between January 1 and October 31, 2024, 120,821 fire outbreaks were recorded in the Amazon. This number represents a 51% increase compared to the same period in 2023 (79,998 outbreaks) and is the highest number recorded since 2007 (more than 164,000 outbreaks). This number is 44.9% higher than the average number of outbreaks in this period in the previous five years (2019-2023), which is 83,377 fire outbreaks.

In October, 16,169 fire outbreaks were recorded in the Amazon, a 26.7% reduction compared to the 22,061 outbreaks recorded in the same period in 2023. However, this number is 11.2% higher than the average for the period in the previous five years (2019-2023), which is 14,540.

Cerrado has worst year since 2012, but reduction in October
In the Cerrado, in the year to date up to October 31, 76,655 fire outbreaks were recorded: an increase of 69.5% compared to the same period last year (45,232 outbreaks). The figure is 38.4% higher than the average for the same period in the previous five years (2019-2023), which is 55,369 fire outbreaks. The value recorded in the first 10 months of the year is the highest for the period since 2012, when more than 86,000 outbreaks were detected.

In October, the Cerrado had 8,024 fire outbreaks, a figure close to that recorded last year (8,371), with a reduction of 4.1%. The number in 2024 is 20% lower than the average for the previous five years (2019-2023) for this period, which is 10,030 fire outbreaks.

Pantanal: only 2020 was worse in the first 10 months of the year
In the Pantanal, from the beginning of 2024 until October 31, 14,292 fire outbreaks were detected. A number 639% higher than that recorded in the same period last year (1,933 outbreaks). The value is 76% higher than the average for the period in the previous five years (2019-2023), which was 8,116 fire outbreaks.

The number recorded in 2024 is the second highest in the historical series of the Inpe's Queimadas Program, which began in 1998, second only to 2020, when more than 21,000 fire outbreaks were recorded. The year 2020, however, was marked by the worst wildfires in the history of the Pantanal, which devastated more than 30% of the total area of ​​the biome. 

In the month of October, 2,437 fire outbreaks were recorded in the Pantanal. The figure is 110% higher than the number of fire outbreaks recorded in the same period in 2023 (1,157 fires). The number is 35.3% higher than the average for the same period in the previous five years (2019-2023), which is 1,801 fire outbreaks.