As millions of acres of life-sustaining Amazon rainforest continue to burn, threatening the very planet’s health, a U.S. – based environmental organization with global reach and influence is calling on the United Nations and UNESCO to protect these precious areas by creating “Global Rainforest Heritage” sites.

The Human Nature Alliance/ ECO SOS organization has launched a global petition drive asking that The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) establish protected Rainforest Heritage sites to prevent the kind of devastation currently ravaging the Amazon and other rainforest regions. UNESCO, with an annual budget of about $800 million, already has a World Heritage program that includes cultural and historic protectorates, such as the great pyramids in Egypt.  It is time to extend that to more of nature’s sites as well.

In a personal video message, ECO SOS leader Chris Griscom is urging that “we use our collective voices” to incite action by UNESCO “because our very survival depends on it.” She has posted a petition on line that will be used to enlist the support of global organizations, governments, activist groups, environmentalists, and other interested communities.

The G7 countries, meeting in France, committed $20 million to help fight the rainforest fires in the Amazon, but that amount falls far short of the actual anticipated costs. Plus, as Griscom points out, much more needs to be done to protect the areas themselves, grow more rainforests, educate local populations about ways to preserve and cultivate the lands, and protect indigenous peoples at the same time. 

Further information about the effort is available at ECO/SOS or at https://chrisgriscom.com/.