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'Our house is burning': Emmanuel Macron says Amazon rainforest fires are an 'international crisis'

Emmanuel Macron has dubbed the fires in the Amazon rainforest an “international crisis” and said it should be discussed at the upcoming G7 summit.

The French President, who is hosting this weekend’s summit, tweeted: “Our house is burning. Literally.The Amazon rain forest - the lungs which produces 20% of our planet’s oxygen - is on fire.

“It is an international crisis. Members of the G7 Summit, let's discuss this emergency first order in two days! #ActForTheAmazon.”

His comments come as data published by the the National Institute for Space Research (Inpe) revealed that fires across Brazil are up 85% this year - many in the Amazon.

But Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro accused Mr Macron of using the issue for “personal political gain”.

He said: “The French president's suggestion that Amazonian issues be discussed at the G7 without the participation of the countries of the region evokes a misplaced colonialist mindset, which does not belong in the 21st century.”