Deforestation in Brazil’s Amazon rainforest has seen a significant reduction, marking the lowest level in eight years, according to new government satellite data released on Wednesday. The data indicates a nearly 46% decrease in deforestation compared to the previous year, the largest reduction since 2016 when current measurement methods were adopted.
Over the past 12 months, the Amazon has lost approximately 4,300 square kilometers (1,700 square miles) of land, an area roughly equivalent to Rhode Island. This decrease reflects the efforts to curb deforestation under President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s administration, succeeding the far-right presidency of Jair Bolsonaro, whose tenure saw deforestation reach a 15-year high.
The data, provided by the Deter satellite system managed by the National Institute for Space Research, is preliminary. The most precise deforestation statistics are expected to be released in November. The surveillance year for deforestation in Brazil runs from August 1 to July 30.
The Amazon rainforest, covering an area twice the size of India, remains the world’s largest rainforest and a crucial component of the global climate system. It absorbs substantial amounts of carbon dioxide and houses approximately 20% of the world’s fresh water, along with a vast array of biodiversity, including at least 16,000 tree species.
Despite the progress in reducing deforestation in the Amazon, challenges persist. President Lula has pledged to achieve “deforestation zero” by 2030, with his current term concluding in January 2027. However, the broader picture of deforestation in Brazil reveals a mixed narrative. While the Amazon has seen significant reductions, deforestation in the Cerrado, Brazil’s vast savannah, has increased by 9%.
The Cerrado has experienced a loss of 7,015 square kilometers (2,708 square miles) of native vegetation, a figure 63% larger than the destruction in the Amazon. This savannah, the most biodiverse in the world, faces increasing threats from agricultural expansion, particularly for soybean cultivation, which has significantly impacted privately-owned areas within the Cerrado.
The dual trends of declining Amazon deforestation and rising Cerrado destruction highlight the complexities in Brazil’s environmental landscape and underscore the ongoing need for comprehensive conservation strategies.
