Investigator's Tragic Demise During Amazon Research: Companions Complete Late Author's Book Three Years Later
The Amazon rainforest faces a delicate balance of hope and grim realities. "How to Save the Amazon," a book written by the late British journalist Dom Phillips, was recently published in the UK and Brazil, with the US editions set for release on June 10. Tragically, Phillips was killed in June 2022 while researching the book in the Amazon's Javari Valley.
Phillips' friends have vowed to carry on his work, and three years later, they have completed the project. The book, released yesterday, comprises Phillips' own writing along with contributions from other journalists, blending powerful insights into the cause for which he gave his life.
"How to Save the Amazon" delves into the Amazon's critical problems, such as deforestation, land grabs, and the risks faced by environmental defenders. Yet, it also examines potential solutions and the hope for the rainforest's future through concerted efforts by indigenous activists, ecologists, farmers, and political figures.
In the wake of Phillips' passing, his widow, Alessandra Sampaio, and a group of friends and colleagues took up the task of completing the book. This group, led by Jonathan Watts, Andrew Fishman, Rebecca Carter, David Davies, and Tom Hennigan, worked tirelessly to bring Phillips' message to the world.
Throughout its more than 300 pages, the book presents a mix of hopeful alternatives and daunting realities, offering a compelling vision for the Amazon's future. The book is a poignant testament to Phillips' relentless pursuit of truth and his enduring spirit in the face of danger.
To address the political shifts in Brazil since Phillips' death, the team carefully crafted the book to reflect Brazil's evolving approach to the Amazon. Most of Phillips' research was conducted during the term of right-wing President Jair Bolsonaro, during which Brazil's Amazon deforestation reached a 15-year high in 2021. However, progress has been made since Bolsonaro's 2022 defeat by leftist leader Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
"How to Save the Amazon" has been praised for its lively descriptions and optimism, underscoring the importance of standing by environmental defenders. In this book marked by Phillips' legacy and tinged with sadness, there remains a strong message of solidarity with both its fallen author and the realm of journalism as a whole.
- The book, "How to Save the Amazon," delves into health-and-wellness issues relating to the preservation of the Amazon rainforest and its impact on mental health and general well-being.
- In the realm of lifestyle choices, the book stresses the importance of making conscious decisions in terms of food-and-drink consumption and environmental-science-related practices.
- Dom Phillips' work, as showcased in the book, also explores fashion-and-beauty industries' involvement in the exploitation of the Amazon's resources, adding a crucial component to climate-change discussions.
- Aside from the environmental aspects, "How to Save the Amazon" delves into crime-and-justice issues facing indigenous activists and environmental defenders in the Amazon region.
- In the field of entertainment, the book showcases interviews with politicians and ecologists, providing a captivating narrative that can also serve as a resource for educational books about the Amazon.
- The book's publication comes at a critical time, with climate-change-induced challenges escalating, making its recommendations for fitness-and-exercise, nutrition, and lifestyle changes more relevant than ever.
- The heartrending journey depicted in "How to Save the Amazon" serves as a reminder of the importance of supporting journalism and free speech, not just for the sake of the individual writers like Dom Phillips, but for the collective empowerment of society to tackle pressing issues like climate change, crime, and cultural shifts.
