Brazil: Amazon deforestation lowest in nearly 40 years
The latest figures show that 3,335 square kilometers of the Amazon rainforest were cleared in the year ending in July, the lowest level since 1988. The drop has been described as an "historic achievement."
Brazil has witnessed the lowest level of Amazon rainforest deforestation in nearly four decades, according to data released by the Brazilian space research agency Inpe. From August 2025 to July 2026, 3,335 square kilometers of forest were cleared, marking a 42% decrease from the previous year's 5,731 square kilometers. The Amazon, located primarily in Brazil but also extending into Peru, Colombia, and other South American nations, is the world's largest tropical rainforest and one of its most biodiverse ecosystems.
Environment Minister Joao Paulo Capobianco hailed the drop as "stratospheric," stating that Brazil aims to achieve zero illegal deforestation by 2030. President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva echoed this sentiment on social media, calling it a "historic achievement." Marcio Astrini, executive secretary of the climate advocacy group Observatorio do Clima, emphasized that the figures place Brazil at the forefront of forest protection efforts, attributing the success to the government's commitment to environmental protection and increased monitoring, along with stricter penalties for illegal logging.
The announcement precedes the October 25 runoff election between Lula and conservative senator Flavio Bolsonaro.
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