Brazil’s Amazon deforestation hits lowest level on record

What the report says

Brazil’s Amazon rainforest recorded its lowest level of deforestation since monitoring began in 1988, according to official figures cited by Al Jazeera. The data from Brazil’s space research agency, Inpe, show 3,335 square kilometres of forest were cleared in the 12 months through July, a drop of about 42 percent from the previous year. The result also marks a steep decline from the record low set in 2011-12 and far below the losses seen in the mid-1990s.

The report says the figures are politically significant for President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who has made ending illegal deforestation by 2030 a central pledge. Lula, who returned to office in 2023, faces a presidential run-off later this month. His administration has linked the improvement to stronger enforcement, tighter monitoring and harsher penalties for illegal logging.

Environment Minister Joao Paulo Capobianco and climate advocates described the numbers as a major achievement, arguing they show that deforestation can be reduced with political commitment. Al Jazeera also noted that deforestation has fallen each year since 2022 and is down sharply over four years, after rising under former president Jair Bolsonaro.

The article adds that deforestation in Brazil’s Cerrado savanna also declined, reaching its lowest level on record there as well. Together, the figures matter because the Amazon is central to global climate goals and biodiversity protection, while Brazil remains under pressure to balance conservation with agriculture, mining and other economic interests.