The Amazon, the world’s largest river by volume and one of its busiest transportation networks, faces a daunting challenge. In a region where roads are virtually non-existent, people rely on ferries, boats and canoes to navigate the river. But as the Amazon struggles with the effects of climate change, a historic drought is making travel more difficult than ever.

Cilene Santos, a Brazilian tour guide, shared her concerns with CNNsaying: “There are sandbars everywhere, and the boat could hit one and break its propeller.”

This month, UNICEF reported that more than 400,000 children were affected by the drought. More than 1,700 schools in the Brazilian part of the Amazon have been closed or are inaccessible due to low water levels.

The dramatic effects of climate change are hard to ignore, especially as former US President Joe Biden flew over the Amazon on Sunday. Seen from the air, the once-lush landscape now features vast sand dunes, a disturbing sight that resembles a desert more than a rainforest.

Bram Ebus, an Amazon analyst, highlighted the importance of the moment, telling CNN: “This is a very important time for the Amazon because for the first time there are two progressive presidents in the largest economies Amazonian – Colombia and Brazil. a small window of opportunity for the two leaders to propose concrete proposals to conserve biodiversity.

As the Amazon faces one of the toughest challenges in its history, the world watches, hoping that efforts to protect this vital ecosystem will result in swift and meaningful action.