Why in News?

• The “lungs of the earth”, the Amazon Rainforest, is currently experiencing a severe and unprecedented drought.
• This crisis is profoundly affecting the Indigenous people’s lives and the entire ecosystem.

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Factors Causing Drought in the Amazon Rainforest

El Niño Phenomenon:

• It is a major driver of the drought.
• Causes abnormal warming of the Pacific Ocean’s surface waters, impacting rainfall patterns.
• Leads to reduced humidity and rainfall in the Amazon, intensifying drought.

High Water Temperatures in the Northern Tropical Atlantic Ocean:

• Warm ocean waters cause heated air to rise, which then affects the Amazon.
• This warm air hinders cloud formation, resulting in a sharp decrease in rainfall.

Anthropogenic Climate Change:

• Deforestation, from activities like agriculture and logging, weakens the Amazon’s ability to control climate and retain moisture.
• The loss of vast vegetation areas escalates temperatures, generating a cycle of worsening droughts due to reduced evapotranspiration.

Mining Activity:

• Unregulated mining creates land barriers, affecting river navigation.
• Mining’s ecological impact releases pollutants and greenhouse gases, influencing the climate.

Hydroelectric Dams:

• Particularly on the Madeira River, a major Amazon tributary.
• Reservoir creation alters natural river flows and impacts ecosystems.
• Decomposing organic matter in reservoirs emits methane, a potent greenhouse gas.

Transportation Infrastructure:

• Infrastructure, like highways, cuts through conserved areas.
• Increases deforestation and climatic anomalies.

Impact on the Water Cycle

• Collective disruptions from the above factors harm the Amazon’s natural water cycle.
• This results in decreased river water volumes, extended droughts, and detrimental effects on aquatic fauna, habitats, and dependent communities.

Drought’s Consequences on the Amazon Rainforest

• Water Levels: Record low levels observed in rivers, including the significant Rio Negro.
• Human Impact: Many are stranded in remote areas, facing scarcity in food, clean water, medicine, and other essentials.
• Health Concerns: Outbreaks of diseases like diarrhoea and skin infections due to contaminated water.
• Biodiversity: The rainforest’s diverse wildlife, including fish and the Amazon River dolphins (boto or pink river dolphin), are dying, leading to polluted water bodies.
• Forest Fires: The drought escalates forest fire risks, destroying vast vegetation, emitting large CO2 volumes, and causing poor air quality in many regions due to smoke.