Brazilian Pres. Jair Bolsonaro suggests, without citing evidence, that non-governmental organizations could be setting wildfires to make him look bad.
Brazil's official monitoring agency is reporting a sharp increase in wildfires this year, and President Jair Bolsonaro suggested Wednesday, without citing evidence, that non-governmental organizations could be setting them to make him look bad.
Earlier this month, the head of the space research institute was forced to leave his position after standing up to the president's accusations that deforestation data had been manipulated to tarnish the image of his administration. Moutinho, who has been working in the Amazon forests for nearly 30 years, said fires are mostly used to clean up vast areas of land for farming or logging.
Bolsonaro, who once threatened to leave the Paris climate accord, has repeatedly attacked environmental nonprofits, seen as obstacles in his quest to develop the country's full economic potential, including in protected areas. The government is also facing international pressure to protect the vast rainforest from illegal logging or mining activities. The Amazon is often referred to as the lungs of our planet because it is a major absorber of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
But experts say Brazilians and particularly farmers could be the first victims of excessive deforestation, as it could affect the regional climate, bringing higher temperatures and less rain.
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