Official figures show Amazon deforestation fell 42% year-on-year to a record low, bolstering President Lula days before a tight presidential run-off.
01Summary
- 01Inpe reported 3,335 sq km of forest cleared in the 12 months to July, the lowest since records began in 1988.
- 02The previous low was 4,571 sq km in 2011-12; annual losses peaked at nearly 30,000 sq km in the mid-1990s.
- 03Deforestation has fallen every year since 2022, down 71.2% over four years, attributed to greater monitoring and stiffer penalties.
- 04Lula faces Senator Flavio Bolsonaro in the October 25 run-off, with polls showing them neck and neck.
- 05Deforestation in the Cerrado savanna also fell by about 24%, to 5,517 sq km, the lowest since records began in 2001.
02Why it matters
This sharp drop in deforestation strengthens Lula's environmental record ahead of a close election, signalling that policy changes can curb Amazon clearance and greenhouse gas emissions.
Pulse AIAsk about this story
Answers are generated by AI from the story summary; they are not investment, health or legal advice.
