{
  "id": 10569022,
  "title": "How Bolsonaro's statements destroyed the rainforest",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/29/how-bolsonaros-statements-destroyed-the-rainforest",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-09-29T00:20:01.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Phys.org",
    "slug": "phys-org",
    "url": "https://phys.org/news/2026-09-bolsonaro-statements-destroyed-rainforest.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": null,
  "summary": "An international study led by the University of Bonn has found that former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro's statements opposing forest conservation played a significant role in accelerating deforestation of the Amazon rainforest. The research, published in The Journal of Politics, reveals that destruction of the Amazon rainforest increased when Bolsonaro and his ministers posted messages opposing forest conservation on Twitter. The study estimates that Bolsonaro's statements contributed to the destruction of up to 1,700 square kilometers (660 square miles) of forest—almost double the size of Berlin. The researchers suggest that even a perceived low risk of punishment was a driving factor in deforestation during Bolsonaro's presidency, as Brazil's environmental authorities were weakened during his rule.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}