There has been much talk about the Fires in the Amazon in Brazil being in ‘the lungs of the world’. Some are saying the Amazon contributes hugely to Global Oxygen and the CO2 balance.
What is Scientific truth?
And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. (John 8:32)
The Amazon rainforest at scientific estimate may produce very little of the global oxygen.
Mathematically, it’s impossible for the Amazon to produce that much oxygen, said Jonathan Foley, the former executive director of the California Academy of Sciences.
All tropical forests (including those in Africa and Indonesia) produce 20% of the oxygen from land-based sources...Combining land and ocean, which also produces oxygen, tropical forests only account for 10% of the world’s oxygen. Foley estimates it’s only possible for the Amazon itself to produce 6%. Forbes
This is assuming that oceans only contribute 50% which is low, as there is a possibility that oceans produce up to 85% of global oxygen. It is known it is more than 50%, but it is hard to prove the exact percentage. earthsky.org. Journal of Geophysical Research has 80% from the Ocean eos.org
What about C02 absorption? The Journal of Marine Science: Research & Development has a paper from 2016 suggesting that “70% of CO2 assimilation is said to be carried out at sea. Plankton photosynthesis are studied by many investigators.” omicsonline.org
Furthermore old growth forest such as the Amazon is less efficient that new growth as CO2 take up is a direct relationship to growth, and rainforest is most efficient at taking CO2 from the air in it's new growth and canopy. onlinelibrary.wiley.com They have found that with higher CO2 in the atmosphere it is possible old growth forest with long lived tree species may actually grow faster and take out more CO2 that thought. www.co2science.org
An unmanaged forest ceases to be carbon sink once its biomass stops increasing and its soil carbon pool reaches a steady state. Old-growth forest can be carbon sink only if the living biomass or the amount of soil organic matter keeps increasing. academic.oup.com
Carbon sequestration or storage is a long term effect as forests release CO2 also. Sequestration has to do with total mass of timber in the trees and how long they live. Carbon is also sequestered as long as the timber from those trees is used in a building. Thus a 400 year old building going on 500 years old, with no timber rotting, is an effective Carbon sink.
From the Amazon being a small percentage of the 30% of global land exchanges, we can know that unless the Amazon is managed it is likely not doing much to reduce global CO2. It is highly unlikely that the Amazon facing pressures of global population growth and increasing global consumer demand would be maintained any better than the forests of Europe, which are now farmland.
My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children. (Hosea 4:6)
What does it mean to think the earth's lungs are on fire?
It is a very unfortunate anthropomorphic analogy to suggest any part of the earth is its 'lungs', when it is much more complex. But setting aside the science, what does it mean? Lungs are for breathing, the fires are in, what is thought, as the life breath of the world.
Now will I rise, saith the LORD; now will I be exalted; now will I lift up myself. Ye shall conceive chaff, ye shall bring forth stubble: your breath, as fire, shall devour you. (Isaiah 33:10-11)
Thus the fire is connected to God's judgement in the last days where He arises after long being silent. The breath of God in judgement is described as a fire,
For Tophet is ordained of old; yea, for the king it is prepared; he hath made it deep and large: the pile thereof is fire and much wood; the breath of the LORD, like a stream of brimstone, doth kindle it. (Isaiah 30:33)
What is perhaps significant is that the cry of 'Woe' for the fires in the Amazon in Brazil comes from France's President Macron, who presides over the modern Babylon, a 'city' which is shortly to be judged with fire.
And cried when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, What city is like unto this great city! (Revelation 18:18)
It is not long ago that the world wondered at the burning of the forests of wood cut down that made up the roof the Notre Dame Cathedral.
What the fires in Brazil mean for politics
The fires affect a trade agreement that the European Union made with Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay and Paraguay. Macron is calling the fires an emergency to be discussed at the G7 where Brazil is not a member. France and Ireland are threatening now to block that trade agreement. As a result the Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro accused Macron of "a misplaced colonialist mindset".
The headline “G7 summit: Boris Johnson accuses Macron of using Brazil's rainforest fires as 'excuse' to interfere with free trade negotiations”
In a statement ahead of the G7 summit, a spokesperson for Macron said that the president believed his Brazilian counterpart had lied to him in assurances on climate made at the G20 in Japan earlier this year. “In these conditions, France will oppose the Mercosur deal as it is,” the spokesperson added.
Now by contrast Boris Johnson hoping for a trade deal with Brazil says that Brazil must be helped, and believes that nothing should stand in the way of trade.
But asked whether he would join other leaders in refusing to ratify the Mercosur deal, he said: "People will take any excuse at all to interfere with free trade and to frustrate trade deals, and I don’t want to see that. independent.co.uk
Thus in the politics we see that the EU is divided from Brazil as Britain seeks Brazil. We can see how this would harden the hearts of those in the EU against Britain, as Britain is not willing to give up all gain for a stance. We see how Britain is emerging again after 70 years as the Harlot Merchant of Tarshish the inheritor of Tyre, who would for gain give up 'environmental ethics', especially as they couldn't be sure it was founded in science.
Howl, ye ships of Tarshish: for your strength is laid waste. And it shall come to pass in that day, that Tyre shall be forgotten seventy years, according to the days of one king: after the end of seventy years shall Tyre sing as an harlot. (Isaiah 23:14-15)
Do we worry as others?
The beauty of loving the Bible Creator, is that we have the best guide as to how to be custodians of the earth and as a result we fear nothing. Our Creator loves humans and fruit trees (Deut. 20:19) . We are to look after all the animals as best we can, as they fear us. Humans have an intelligence that allows good management of the animals, fish and birds, skills which they show they don't have if left to themselves.
God blessed Noah and his sons, and said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth. And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth, and upon every fowl of the air, upon all that moveth upon the earth, and upon all the fishes of the sea; into your hand are they delivered. (Genesis 9:1-2)
The Christian is more likely to be aware of the true environmental hazards in other's behaviour and avoid that, because of their faith and lack of consumption of things of vanity, or the unjust gain of pride. If we are living in God's way we will be given protection from others' bad and polluting behaviour.
Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows. (Matthew 10:29-31)
Ultimately the Creator is in control of the climate, giving rain to the just and unjust alike. No fire can affect that control. Not in the Amazon, or in California or near where you live..
But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. (Matthew 5:44-45)
