Brazilian leaders have announced that they will turn down millions in aid from G7 members directed towards controlling the wildfires raging in the Amazon rainforest. President Jair Bolsonaro of Brazil has alleged that other countries wish to exercise control over the rainforests. The French president Emmanuel Macron pledged $22 million in aid from the G7, as Britain and Canada announced separate aid packages amounting to $23 million in aid. Macron stated that the funds were to provide support for nine separate South American countries’ efforts to combat fires the region. In light of Brazil’s actions, it is unclear whether the other eight potential recipients will receive the aid as originally planned, and if so, how much of the total they will receive. While these fires in the Amazon have attracted the most headlines in the past few weeks, the number of fires in Angola and the DRC have actually exceeded those in the Amazon over the past two days. Looking ahead, perhaps the G7 and other international bodies will move to combat similar crises in other regions as well.
