ANSA MondoyesterdayEnvironment1 min readItaly

Brazil, deforestation in the Amazon at its lowest level since 1988

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Annual deforestation in the Amazon fell to 3,335 square kilometers between August 2025 and July 2026, the lowest level since 1988, a 71% decline compared to 2023 according to data from Brazil's INPE.
The government attributes the result to environmental protection policies, although threats from fires, drought and climate change remain.

AI-generated summary

Why It Matters

During the presidency of Jair Bolsonaro (2019-2022), deforestation in the Amazon had increased by around 60%, with over 45,000 square kilometers of forest lost. Current data shows a reversal of the trend under the current government.

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Annual deforestation in the Amazon has fallen to its lowest level since records began in 1988. According to data released today by the Brazilian National Institute for Space Research (Inpe), processed through the Prodes satellite monitoring system, 3,335 square kilometers of forest were lost between August 2025 and July 2026. The decline has been 71% since 2023, according to the government, reports the website of the Folha de S.Paulo newspaper.

The reduction marks a reversal of the trend compared to the presidency of Jair Bolsonaro (2019-2022), during which deforestation increased by around 60%, with over 45,000 square kilometers of forest cut down.

According to Márcio Astrini, executive director of the Climate Observatory, the results demonstrate that environmental protection can proceed alongside economic growth. However, threats related to fires, drought and climate change remain.

What to Watch

AI outlook — possibilities, not facts

Annual deforestation in the Amazon will remain under 4,000 square kilometers over the next two years if current policies are maintained
Likely · Within years

Open Questions

Which specific policies have contributed most to reducing deforestation?
How are the effects of climate change expected to influence the deforestation threshold in the coming years?
What is the role of international cooperation in maintaining this positive trend?