Americas: Record wildfires in South America Require an Unprecedented Response
What is happening in South America?
- In August and September 2024, record fires have been raging across South America.
- Millions of hectares are burning in the Amazon basin and other ecosystems.
What is Amnesty International calling for?
Amnesty International has published an Open Letter to South American presidents urging them to:
- Extinguish wildfires
- Abandon fossil fuels
- Protect territories of Indigenous Peoples
- Support environmental human rights defenders
“The world is watching and cannot wait for the Amazon basin and other ecosystems to be saved from extinction,” said Ana Piquer, from Amnesty International.
What is the urgency?
Leaders in South America must take urgent action to prevent irreversible consequences for the planet and future generations.
The Open Letter coincides with the United Nations Summit of the Future in New York, attended by Amnesty International’s Secretary General Agnès Callamard.
Source: www.amnesty.org