Brazil Declares State Of Emergency As World’s Largest Wetland Burns

Regional authorities in Brazil have declared a state of emergency on Monday due to uncontrollable fires in the Pantanal, the world’s largest tropical wetlands.

The fires, occurring before the peak of the dry season, have alarmed many as they threaten the region’s biodiversity, which extends into Bolivia and Paraguay and is home to the highest density of jaguars worldwide.

The state of Mato Grosso do Sul, which contains many of Brazil’s wetlands, announced a six-month state of emergency.

Experts attribute the fires to severe drought conditions and intentional burning to clear land for agriculture.

Environmental satellite data from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro indicated that 627,000 hectares of the Pantanal have burned since the beginning of the year.

The Pantanal, slightly larger than England, saw its worst year for fires in 2020 when 30 per cent of the wetlands were affected. This year, the number of fires has increased by 33 per cent compared to the same period in 2020.

Gustavo Figueiroa, director of the SOS Pantanal NGO, emphasised the need for maximum resource mobilisation by authorities to prevent another disaster like the one in 2020. In a video on Instagram, he noted that whether the Pantanal burns more than in 2020 depends on the response efforts.

Wetlands, which cover just over 6 per cent of the earth’s land surface, provide essential resources like food and clean water and serve as a refuge for many species.

Despite their importance, half of the world’s wetlands have disappeared. Covering more than 42 million acres, the Pantanal is the largest and one of the most pristine tropical wetlands, spanning parts of Bolivia, Brazil, and Paraguay and supporting millions of people and local communities.

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