The Amazon rainforest, where a fifth of the world’s freshwater flows, is reeling from a powerful drought that shows no sign of abating. Likely made worse by global warming and deforestation, the drought has fueled large wildfires that have made the air hazardous for millions of people, while also drying out major rivers. …The drier conditions are accelerating the destruction of the world’s largest and most biodiverse rainforest where parts have started to transform from humid ecosystems that store huge amounts of heat-trapping gases into drier ones that are releasing them. The result is a double blow to the global struggle to fight climate change and biodiversity loss. …And, the worst may be yet to come. The rainy season is expected to start in the next weeks and if the drought persists it would mark the first time… Amazon’s driest period continued into its wettest. [to access the full story a NY Times subscription may be required]