The recent surge of fires in the Amazon rainforest has the whole world on edge. Lots of people are worried about the effects it will have on the entire planet since they are, after all, considered the “Earth’s lungs”. One such person that has expressed being “deeply concerned” is Hollywood superstar Leonardo DiCaprio, which is why his environmental organization is donating $5 million towards helping the Amazon rainforest.
In an Instagram post, DiCaprio said:
I am deeply concerned about the ongoing crisis in the Amazon, which highlights the delicate balance of climate, biodiversity, and the wellbeing of indigenous peoples.
The organization, called Earth Alliance, will give the money to local groups and indigenous communities to facilitate their efforts as they work to protect the Amazon. Earth Alliance was founded by Leo and two other philanthropists, billionaires Laurene Powell Jobs and Brian Sheth, this year with aims to protect wildlife, push for climate justice, and secure indigenous rights. The organizations receiving the cash are Instituto Associacao Floresta Protegida (Kayapo), Coordination of the Indigenous Organizations of the Brazilian Amazon (COIAB), Instituto Kabu (Kayapo), Instituto Raoni (Kayapo) and Instituto Socioambiental (ISA).
Earth Alliance said:
These funds will be distributed directly to local partners and the indigenous communities protecting the Amazon, the incredible diversity of wildlife that lives there, and the health of the planet overall.
Thousands Of Fires
There have been more than 72,000 fires in the Amazon rainforest this year, according to the National Institute for Space Research in Brazil. That’s 32,000 more than at the same point last year. Will Grant from BBC describes the view of the devastation from above as “disturbing”.
A statement on the Earth Alliance website says:
The destruction of the Amazon rainforest is rapidly releasing carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, destroying an ecosystem that absorbs millions of tonnes of carbon emissions every year and is one of the planet’s best defences against the climate crisis.
There are claims that the dramatic increase in forest fires is due to a rise in deliberate deforestation for cattle farming. Many critics are accusing Brazil’s President Jair Bolsonaro of encouraging the destruction of the Amazon through a lack of action on environmental issues. He counters these accusations by saying non-governmental organizations (NGOs) – like charities – could be to blame for starting the record number of fires.
Helping Hands
An initiative of the Earth Alliance, called the Amazon Forest Fund, has been created to raise money for the protection of this specific area. DiCaprio has insisted that the public get involved and support the crisis too. He has linked ways in which people can make donations to this initiative.
DiCaprio announced the aid package on Instagram and said:
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.
However, the superstar is not the only one pushing for aid and helping out, there are others around the world organizing money and efforts as well. For example, the international leaders at the G7 summit in Biarritz, France, have reached an agreement on international help towards the crisis committing $20 million to combat the fires and UK’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Britain would provide £10 million ($12 million) to protect the Amazon rainforest.
So far Bolsonaro has rejected the $20 million and won’t accept it until French President Emmanuel Macron apologizes for “insulting” after Macron called him rude and criticism about Bolsonaro’s denial about the extent of deforestation as has been reported by Brazil’s own Institute for Space Research (INPE) which track deforestation.
Unfortunately, both of their egos may be too big to put the amazon truly first. Fortunately, people like Leonardo DiCaprio are doing what they can to help.
