Research from universities in Germany and Brazil has analysed regional health outcomes after the Amazon started their conservation measures, and has shown that for respiratory-related health problems, there is a reduction in hospitalisation and death rates in the region.
The cause? Fewer forest fires. "The relationship between the fire outbreak and the smoke travelling somewhere and people inhaling it and then getting health problems is pretty straightforward," said the study's lead author Yannic Damm, a researcher at the University of Bonn.
2024 was the year of Brazil’s worst wildfires in 14 years - this being why Latin America's environmental agenda constantly mentions the Amazon. Land clearing is often blamed for its role in causing fires that can destroy millions of acres of nature.
Researchers first calculated if fire and air pollution decreased after the introduction of the deforestation policy was changed in 2007 and 2009, in order to stop traders purchasing soy and cattle products that were grown on deforested land. A 60-mile zone that surrounds the Amazon biome across 5 states was observed and a sizable drop in the concentration of pollutant gases was noted.
Researchers then compared hospitalisations for a range of diseases associated with air pollution, to those after the reduction in fires. In the region studied, it is estimated to have had a reduction of 18,000 hospitalisations and around 680 fewer deaths from smoke and fire-related conditions.
Cleared tropical forests, like the Amazon, can result in hotter and drier conditions, which makes them more likely to suffer hotter and more intense wildfires. Wildfire smoke contains fine particle matter mixed with toxic gases, which can then be absorbed into the bloodstream through the lungs, which can cause and aggravate existing conditions.
Obrigado Brasil!