Why Everything They Say About The Amazon Is Wrong

(Forbes) The increase in fires burning in Brazil set off a storm of international outrage last week. Celebrities environmentalists and political leaders blame Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro for destroying the worlds largest rainforest the Amazon which they say is the lungs of the world." Singers and actors including Madonna and Jaden Smith shared photos on social media that were seen by tens of millions of people. The lungs of the Earth are in flames" said actor Leonardo DiCaprio. The Amazon Rainforest produces more than 20 of the worlds oxygen" tweeted soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo. The Amazon rain forest the lungs which produce 20 of our planets oxygen is on fire" tweeted French President Emanuel Macron. And yet the photos werent actually of the fires and many werent even of the Amazon. The photo Ronaldo shared was taken in southern Brazil far from the Amazon in 2013. The photo that DiCaprio and Macron shared is over 20 years old. The photo Madonna and Smith shared is over 30. Some celebrities shared photos from Montana India and Sweden. To their credit CNN and New York Times debunked the photos and other misinformation about the fires. Deforestation is neither new nor limited to one nation" explained CNN. These fires were not caused by climate change" noted The Times.