There’s some good news to celebrate in regards to the global environment. According to data from Brazil’s National Institute for Space Research (INPE), deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon has dropped by 30.6% in comparison to the previous year, making it the lowest level in nine years.
Only 6,288 square kilometers (about 2,428 square miles) of forest was destroyed. Though this area of forest is equivalent in size to the state of Delaware, which remains concerning, it’s actually a positive development, as it is far less than the previous year. Since 1970, the Amazon has lost about 20% of its cover to deforestation, due to factors such as agriculture, cattle ranching, logging, mining, and urban sprawl. Over all, the Amazon rainforest covers over 2.5 million square miles in South America, of which 60% is located in Brazil.
The effects of protecting the Amazon rainforest go beyond its home region, as it has long been key in curbing global warming. This ecosystem has been regarded as one of the top, if not the main “lungs of the planet” due to the amount of carbon dioxide its trees can absorb—about 20% of all the carbon captured by vegetation around the world. However, this priceless benefit is lost and reversed when humans cut down these trees, as their stored carbon is released back into the atmosphere as harmful CO2.
As an added bonus, the Amazon rainforest is not the only Brazilian ecosystem that has taken a turn for the better. In the Cerrado, an area considered the most species-rich savannah in the world, deforestation has reduced by 25.7%, the lowest since 2020. While not as famous as the Amazon rainforest, the Cerrado is home to 5% of all plants and animals on the planet, and is often subject to droughts and wildfires.
These environmental wins are in line with Brazilian President Luis Inácio Lula da Silva’s promise to combat forest loss and stop illegal deforestation of the Amazon by 2030. However, this endeavor has been met with skepticism since infrastructure projects launched by his own administration are at odds with protecting endangered areas. Still, deforestation has been cut almost in half compared to the final year under President Bolsonaro—a time when deforestation hit a 15-year high.
Deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon fell 30.6% compared to the previous year, making it the lowest level in nine years.
The Amazon rainforest covers over 2.5 million square miles in South America, of which 60% is located in Brazil.
Protecting the Amazon rainforest has long been key in curbing global warming due to the amount of carbon dioxide its trees can absorb—about 20% of all the carbon captured by vegetation around the world.
Sources: Federal Government announces Amazon, Cerrado deforestation drop; concludes prevention pact; El Cerrado; Why Is the Amazon So Important for Climate Change?; Deforestation in the Amazon rainforest continues to plunge; Brazil’s Amazon megaprojects threaten Lula’s green ambitions
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