Researchers from Brazil and the United Kingdom have warned that the Brazilian Amazon is increasingly at risk from climate-related disasters, including floods, droughts, heat waves, and fires, with millions of people affected each year. 

What is driving increasing climate disasters in the Amazon?

In a study published in Nature Communications, the team looked at the frequency and intensity of weather events from 2000 to 2022. They also analyzed social and economic factors to identify which communities are most vulnerable to global warming. 

Their findings revealed that "1.8 million people (6.4% of the Brazilian Amazon's population) [were] affected by climate-related disasters each year between 2018 and 2022."

Human activities, such as burning polluting fuels to power modern life, have increased Earth's average surface temperature by about 2 degrees Fahrenheit since the late 1800s, and the rate of warming has more than tripled since the 1980s, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. 

A hotter Earth acts as "steroids for weather," adding more energy and moisture into the atmosphere to fuel storms and heat waves. The effects are especially notable in the Brazilian Amazon, which is already warm and humid because of its location on the equator. 

Researchers found that, over the two decades studied, wet events (such as floods) increased by more than fivefold, driving the majority of economic losses — especially in agriculture. Other sectors hard-hit by these disasters include infrastructure, housing, and healthcare. 

Wildfires increased by more than 10-fold, and both droughts and heat waves tripled. As these disasters became more frequent, economic losses increased by 370%, reaching an average of $630 million per year. 

Why do Amazon climate risks matter?

While climate disasters impact communities, economies, and essential systems throughout the Amazon, smaller municipalities are the most vulnerable because they have fewer resources to prepare and recover. 

These areas are also home to about 61% of the Amazon's Indigenous population, making the warming planet a major social justice issue. 

The study authors described rising global temperatures and extreme weather as a "poverty multiplier," arguing that climate adaptation measures should be focused on protecting these communities from the worst impacts. 

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Since the vast majority of Indigenous populations in the Amazon rely entirely on the rainforest for survival, they are disproportionately affected by extreme changes in the environment. 

Deforestation for cattle and soy production also threatens their way of life and ability to earn income, as clearing forests for agriculture releases large amounts of carbon, disrupts rainfall patterns, and fuels more intense wildfires that worsen air quality.

But, ultimately, the crisis unfolding in the Amazon reaches far beyond its borders, as all of humanity depends on it as a climate regulator, for plants used in many modern medicines and vaccines, and for the irreplaceable biodiversity that keeps the ecosystem healthy.

How can I protect the Amazon and its people?

Since most climate scientists agree that burning dirty fuels for energy is the main cause of extreme weather, switching to energy-efficient appliances that don't require dirty fuels, such as heat pumps and induction stoves, is one of the best ways to cool the planet.

Plus, they can reduce electricity bills by a considerable amount, especially for those in colder climates.

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