Striking picture of oily Amazon water that was shortlisted for the photo award

BR-319: Highway to the Tipping Point by Evgeny Makarov is shortlisted for the Royal Geographical Society's Earth Photo 2020 competition in the A Climate of Change category

earth

5th August 2020

By Gege Li

photographer
Evgeny Makarov

THIS local is on the lookout for river dolphins in the Amazon in Brazil as an oil spill from a nearby boat gives the water a chromatic glow.

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The photo is called BR-319: Highway to the Turning Point and was taken by Evgeny Makarov. It is shortlisted for the Royal Geographical Society's Earth Photo 2020 competition in the A Climate of Change category.

To get the shot, Makarov embarked on a 10-day trip on the BR-319 motorway, which was supposed to connect the rest of Brazil to the city of Manaus in the heart of the Amazon rainforest.

The 870 kilometer long road was built in the 1960s and 70s to unlock the region's economic potential. However, due to the poor construction and the long rainy season, the route was soon abandoned and has been impassable for vehicles for more than 30 years.

Thanks to good conditions, Makarov managed to get past potholes and remnants of the rainforest to secure the livelihood of the residents of the BR-319. His trip coincided with the announcement by Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro last year that the road would be rehabilitated, which would trigger further deforestation of the Amazon rainforest.

The winners of the competition will be announced later this year. From December 7th, selected photos will be exhibited at the Royal Geographical Society in London.

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