BIARRITZ, France (NBC) – At the G7 Summit in France, world leaders agreed to provide $20 million to help Amazon countries fight wildfires.
In Brazil’s Amazon rainforest, more than 41,000 fires have raged so far this year.
Authorities say more than half of those started this month alone.
Experts say most of the fires were set by farmers or ranchers clearing existing farmland.
The funds approved by the world’s leading economic powers will help launch a long-term global initiative to protect the rainforest.
France’s President said Monday the U.S. supports the initiative.
President Trump skipped Monday’s working session on the environment, but other U.S. officials were there.
The United Nations Secretary-General said he welcomed the agreement on a $20 million wildfire fund.
Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also warned that climate change is heating the globe to record levels. He urged U.S. citizens, local governments and the American business community to get more involved in combatting global warming. “We are now facing a dramatic climate emergency,” Guterres said. “Last month was the hottest month on record. We are on track for 2015 to 2019 to be the 5 hottest years on record.”
Guterres also called on leaders attending the September climate summit in New York to agree to cut greenhouse gas emissions by more than they promised in the 2015 Paris climate accord.
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