#ProtectTheAmazon surged in August 2019 when record wildfires consumed vast swaths of the Amazon rainforest, driven largely by illegal deforestation for cattle ranching and agriculture under Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro.
2019 fire crisis: 906,000 hectares burned (72% increase from 2018). Images of smoke plunging São Paulo into darkness at 3 PM went viral.
Bolsonaro’s policies: Defunded environmental enforcement agencies (IBAMA), encouraged development in protected areas, emboldened illegal loggers/ranchers. Deforestation increased 88% in June 2019 vs. prior year.
Indigenous defenders: Tribal leaders documented invasions of their territories; activists like Raoni Metuktire met world leaders pleading for intervention.
#PrayForTheAmazon: Initially trending hashtag later criticized for thoughts-and-prayers approach over actionable demands.
International response:
- G7 pledged $20 million (Bolsonaro rejected it)
- Celebrities (Leonardo DiCaprio, Madonna) raised millions
- Consumer boycotts of Brazilian beef/soy
2023 reversal: President Lula (elected 2022) pledged zero illegal deforestation by 2030; early data shows deforestation dropping 50% in first year.
Ongoing threats: Gold mining, soy expansion, hydroelectric dams. Scientists warn Amazon nearing “tipping point” where it becomes net carbon emitter rather than sink.
The hashtag connects global climate justice to Indigenous land rights, arguing that protecting the Amazon requires respecting tribal sovereignty.
Sources:
- INPE (Brazilian Space Research Institute) deforestation data: http://www.inpe.br/
- Amazon Conservation Association: https://www.amazonconservation.org/
- IPAM (Amazon Environmental Research Institute): https://ipam.org.br/en/