Forest fires 16,000km away affect Singapore

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In the tale of two burning rainforests, there is a common thread: As the flames roar through the Amazon and South-east Asia, hopes of limiting greenhouse gases are going up in smoke.

tropical rainforests help to take up planet-warming carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, locking the carbon in tree biomass such as trunks and roots. When the tropical rainforests burn, the stored carbon is released into the atmosphere and the planet loses its natural defence against climate change.

One of the main ways that the Amazon can affect the global climate lies in its ability to soak up carbon from the atmosphere. Carbon dioxide is blind to borders - it has the same impact on the climate, no matter where it is emitted

At six million sq km, the Amazon rainforest is more than 8,000 times the size of Singapore. But a huge swathe of it - 18,650 sq km, or more than 25 times the size of Singapore - has been set ablaze by farmers looking to clear land for agriculture

solutions have to go beyond putting out fires to addressing the root cause. "Robust forest governance, funding and legislation that support deforestation-free supply chains are  essential."

Forests, for instance, provide clean water, help to cool the surrounding environment, prevent floods and enhance physical and mental well-being. They are also treasure troves of biodiversity

From a practical standpoint, the future cure of cancer could be lost in those fires. From an ethical standpoint, losing the Amazon means a huge loss of natural history...