VOA慢速英语--亚马逊森林2020年仍在燃烧

Amazon Continues to Burn in 2020, Even after Promises to Save It

One year ago, Brazilian officials discovered a fire burning in the forest around the town of Novo Progresso. It was the first big blaze in the Amazon's dry season.

In the weeks that followed, more than 100,000 other fires were reported in the area. Those fires fueled anger about the government's inability or unwillingness¹ to protect the Amazon rainforest.

This year, Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro promised to control the burning. Usually, local farmers set fires to clear land. Bolsonaro banned fires for four months and deployed² army troops to fight or prevent more blazes.

But this week the smoke is so thick around Novo Progresso that police have said people driving motor vehicles have crashed because they cannot see.

Bolsonaro has been an active supporter of bringing more farming to the Amazon. The latest burning season could show if he is willing or able to stop the fires.

Observers say the fires are pushing the world's largest rainforest toward a major crisis. If there are many more fires, the Amazon will no longer be able to produce enough rainfall to sustain itself. That means about 65 percent of the forest will begin turning into tropical savanna³ or grassland⁴.

But people in Novo Progresso, like businessman Claudio Herculano, believe the town has only grown because of increased farming in the area.

"It pains anyone to breathe this air," Herculano said this week. "But all the people here are looking for better days."

Bolsonaro has sent mixed messages: He approved an army-led operation to fight Amazon destruction in May. Yet this month he denied the trees can catch fire. Recently, at a meeting of South American leaders, he noted⁵ a decrease in July deforestation numbers. But he failed to say it was the third highest reading for any month since 2015.

"[The] story that the Amazon is burning is a lie," he claimed.

This year, one could see more fires than last, said Paulo Barreto. He is a deforestation researcher at environmental group Imazon.

In July, as the Amazon's dry season began, many trees had been cut down, increasing deforestation by 34 percent. That information comes from Brazil's space agency.

Normally, after trees are cut, the next step is burning the land, which is usually done without the government's required approval.

August and September are when the burning usually increases. In the first half of August, satellites found 19,000 fires across Brazil's Amazon. If this continues, the number of fires would be similar to those reported last August, when Brazil was criticized internationally.

In 2019, some European heads of state threatened Bolsonaro and said they would suspend financing for rainforest protection efforts. Some European Union lawmakers threatened to refuse to sign the free-trade deal Brazil spent nearly 20 years negotiating.

Bolsonaro sent the Army to help put out the fires – and the criticism -- in late August 2019.

There was also a federal police investigation⁶ into what became known as the Day of Fire, when several fires were set. Police are still trying to find out if a group of ranchers used the messaging app WhatsApp to set different fires at different times. The investigation has been extended.

Joaquim da Silva is a rancher in Novo Progresso. He says the problem is that many people do not really own the land they use. That makes it easier for them to avoid punishment.

The Amazon has lost about 17 percent of its original area. If nothing changes, it will reach a crisis in the next 15 to 30 years, says Carlos Nobre, a leading climatologist. As the forest breaks down, it will release hundreds of billions of tons of carbon dioxide into the air.

Nobre added signs of change are showing. It is hotter and the dry season is now four months long, not the traditional three months.

I'm Susan Shand.

Words in This Story

blaze– n.a fire

sustain– v.to help stay alive

rancher– n.someone who owns or operates a ranch⁷ or farm

original– adj. actual; real or true

climatologist – n.an expert on climate issues

1 unwillingness   

n. 不愿意，不情愿

参考例句：

• Her unwillingness to answer questions undermined the strength of her position. 她不愿回答问题，这不利于她所处的形势。
• His apparent unwillingness would disappear if we paid him enough. 如果我们付足了钱，他露出的那副不乐意的神情就会消失。

2 deployed   

（尤指军事行动）使展开( deploy的过去式和过去分词 )； 施展； 部署； 有效地利用

参考例句：

• Tanks have been deployed all along the front line. 沿整个前线已部署了坦克。
• The artillery was deployed to bear on the fort. 火炮是对着那个碉堡部署的。

3 savanna   

n.大草原

参考例句：

• The savanna is also the home of meat-eaters--the lion,leopard,and hyena who feed on the grasseaters.大草原也是食肉动物的家乡--狮子、豹、鬣狗--它们都是以草食动物维持生命的。
• They sped upon velvet wheels across an exhilarant savanna.他们的马车轻捷地穿过一片令人赏心悦目的大草原。

4 grassland   

n.牧场，草地，草原

参考例句：

• There is a reach of grassland in the distance.远处是连绵一片的草原。
• The snowstorm swept the vast expanse of grassland.暴风雪袭击了辽阔的草原。

5 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

6 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

7 ranch   

n.大牧场，大农场

参考例句：

• He went to work on a ranch.他去一个大农场干活。
• The ranch is in the middle of a large plateau.该牧场位于一个辽阔高原的中部。