Amazon Rainforest Fires Are an International Crisis 亚马孙雨林大火是一场国际危机

侯冬意

Fires are burning in the Amazon rainforest at an alarming rate. French President Emmanuel Macron has said the record number of fires is now an “international crisis”. There has been an 85 percent increase in fires in the Amazon this year. Mr. Macron said urgent action needed to be taken. Macron tweeted about how serious he thought the fires were. He wrote， “Our house is burning. Literally. The Amazon rain forest—the lungs which produce 20% of our planets oxygen—is on fire. It is an international crisis.” German Chancellor Angela Merkel has called the fires an “acute emergency”. She said they were “shocking”. She added that the fires didnt only threaten Brazil and its neighboring countries， but also affected the whole world. The UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson called the fires “not only heartbreaking”， but “an international crisis”. He added， “We stand ready to provide whatever help we can to bring them under control and help protect one of Earths greatest wonders.” UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said， “In the midst of the global climate crisis， we cannot afford more damage to a major source of oxygen and biodiversity. The Amazon must be protected.”

亞马孙雨林的大火正以惊人的速度燃烧。法国总统埃马纽埃尔·马克龙表示，记录的火灾的数量现在是一场“国际危机”。今年亚马孙地区的火灾增加了85%。马克龙表示，要采取紧急行动。马克龙在推特上说，他认为火灾很严重。他写道：“我们的房子正在燃烧，字面意思上的。亚马孙雨林——产生地球20%氧气的地球之肺——着火了。这是一场国际危机。”德国总理安格拉·默克尔称火灾为“紧急情况”。她说它们“令人震惊”。她补充说，火灾不仅威胁到巴西及其周边国家，也影响到整个世界。英国首相鲍里斯·约翰逊称大火“不仅令人心碎”，而且是“一场国际危机”。他还说：“我们随时准备提供一切可能的帮助，以控制它们，帮助保护地球上最伟大的奇景之一。”联合国秘书长安东尼奥·古特雷斯说：“在全球气候危机中，我们无法承受对一个主要氧源和生物多样性来源地的更多破坏。亚马孙必须受到保护。”

Discussion议一议：

What do you know about the Amazon fires？ How dangerous are the fires to the world？ What advice do you have for the president of Brazil？ 你知道哪些关于亚马孙雨林火灾的情况？该火灾对世界来说有多危险？你有什么建议给巴西总统？