WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - The Amazon rain forest experienced its most devastating fire season in more than two decades, according to a new study by the European Commission's Joint Research Centre. In 2024, wildfires burned 3.3 million hectares - an area larger than Belgium - and released an estimated 791 million tons of CO? equivalent, comparable to Germany's annual greenhouse gas emissions.
The scale of destruction marks a seven-fold increase in GHG emissions compared to the average of the past two years and is nine times higher than the long-term average. Scientists attribute this surge to extreme drought, high temperatures, and unsustainable land management practices that amplify fire risk. The unprecedented intensity and frequency of wildfires reveal a growing vulnerability of the Amazon ecosystem and raise alarms about their global climate impact.
The JRC study calls for urgent, coordinated action to strengthen wildfire prevention, monitoring, and rapid response capacities. It underscores the importance of international cooperation in tackling large-scale fire events that threaten biodiversity, carbon storage, and regional stability.
The research is part of the EU's broader partnership with Latin American countries on climate resilience. It supports EU efforts to enhance global monitoring of wildfire activity and emissions, and to help national authorities develop effective prevention and fire management strategies grounded in EU best practices.
Copyright(c) 2025 RTTNews.com. All Rights Reserved
Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX
© 2025 AFX News
