Brazil sees record fall in Amazon deforestation as key election looms
The Amazon rainforest is a crucial buffer against climate change - but deforestation had expanded under former president Jair Bolsonaro.
Brazil's government reports that deforestation rates in the Amazon and savanna regions have reached record lows ahead of a presidential election. President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who has pledged to end deforestation by 2030, assumed office three years ago. The election, between Lula and Bolsonaro's son Flavio, is seen as a key issue for the future of the rainforest.
Satellite data shows that deforestation in the Amazon fell by 41.8% in the year up to July 2026, the largest drop since records began in 1988. The Cerrado region saw a 23.8% decrease. The Amazon, the world's largest rainforest, is essential in the global fight against climate change, with 60% of it located in Brazil. Lula tightened environmental monitoring and penalties for illegal logging, aiming to achieve zero illegal deforestation by 2030.
Written by urgent.news from BBC World's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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