As Amazon wildfires escalate to a global concern, more have pledged support to combat fire in the region touted as the "Lung of the World." People from all over the world have come together to pledge monetary support to fight the Amazon wildfires and safeguard its long-term preservation.
In the United States, fundraisers - Amazon Watch, Rainforest Alliance, and Rainforest Foundation Norway - have been gaining tractions on Facebook for the number of pledges coursed through them.
From the business side, the latest to have come forward to join the fight was Apple through its CEO, Tim Cook, and the LVMH Group through its director, Bernard Arnault.
In a tweet posted on Monday, Cook said Apple would donate to help preserve the Amazon rain forest. The CEO did not specify the amount it will be pledging but hinted that it could go for the long-term.
Cook described Amazon as the "world's most important ecosystems." He said Apple will commit its participation in maintaining Amazon's sustainable future and make the area indispensable.
At the same time, French multinational luxury goods conglomerate LVMH pledged $11 million for the same cause. The amount was announced by Arnault, who remained to be Europe's richest man.
The LVMH group is known for its high-end brands like Louis Vuitton and Moet & Chandon champagne. In the announcement, Arnault described Amazon as a "world heritage treasures" that deserves to be saved.
Also on Monday, Canada pledged $15 million to help fight the Amazon wildfires. The announcement came after the Group of Seven Countries or G7 pledged a total of $22 million, as well as the United Kingdom with its $12 million and actor Leonardo DiCaprio with $5 million.
Amazon is home to more than three million species of plants and animals and one million indigenous people. With that, people have been expressing strong reactions with how little they think countries are willing to donate. Criticisms are particularly aimed at the G7.
People bellied that the $22 million coming from G7 nearly met the budget needed for the Amazon, given that the group accounted for as much as $40 trillion of the world's GDP. Critics called for stronger participation and larger allocation.
Journalist Jordan Uhl said that the U.S. can allocate $100 million for President Donald Trump's golf trips. One critic said that as much as $1 billion were donated for the burnt Notre-Dame de Paris cathedral in Paris.
The Amazon wildfires have also been a point of debate between French President Emmanual Macron and Brazil's President Jair Bolsonaro. The latter is said to have rejected the donations given by the G7 countries. Bolsonaro said the support was rendered just because France perceived Brazil as its mere colony.
Meanwhile, some critics were placing the blame on Bolsonaro. Political observers said his lax leadership paved the way for aggravated mining, farming, and slash-and-burn practices in Amazon.
