A sharp rise in the annual rate of fires in Brazil sent shockwaves around the world in August. While not the worst fires in the history of the Brazilian rainforest, they resonated with a wide audience for three key reasons.
The first is a better public understanding of the climate dangers posed by losing the Amazon. Secondly, the far-right Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has caused outrage by actively encouraging the fires (see page 59). Viral media articles that link the Western demand for beef to deforested land are a third driver of international interest.
