Amazon deforestation in Brazil drops to near-record low levels

Satellite-based monitoring indicates that Brazil's Amazon experienced a loss of 2,874 sq km of forest in the twelve months through July, a drop of 37% from the previous year and the lowest amount recorded by the Deter system since its inception in 2015. The Deter platform provides near-real-time alerts to guide enforcement actions, while the higher-resolution Prodes system will publish the official figure later in the year, likely confirming the smallest annual loss since 1988.

The reduction occurs as the United States concluded a Section 301 investigation, labeling some Brazilian practices as unreasonable and imposing a 25% tariff on selected imports, though beef was exempted. Since the start of his third term in 2023, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has pursued a stronger crackdown on illegal clearing, reversing a surge that peaked under his predecessor. Over his tenure, Deter data show a 41% decline in total Amazon deforestation compared with the 2019-2022 period. These trends suggest Brazil is moving toward its lowest recorded deforestation rate in nearly four decades.