BRASILIA — Brazil's government reported a record decline in deforestation across its Amazon rainforest and Cerrado savanna regions, with satellite data showing a 41.8 percent drop in the Amazon and a 23.8 percent decline in the Cerrado over the year ending July 2026.
The announcement comes three years after left-wing President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva took office pledging to eliminate deforestation by 2030. Deforestation rates had surged under his right-wing predecessor, Jair Bolsonaro, who served from 2019 to 2022.
During Bolsonaro's presidency, the Amazon lost nearly 60 percent more forest land compared to the preceding four-year period. His administration promoted mining in indigenous territories and forest clearances while cutting resources for forest protection.
Upon taking office, Lula reversed these policies. His administration implemented stricter environmental monitoring and increased penalties for illegal logging. In his first year, deforestation rates dropped to a six-year low.
"Our goal is to achieve zero illegal deforestation by 2030," Lula said Friday in a post on X.
Environment Minister Joao Paulo Capobianco called the decline "absolutely stratospheric." Marcio Astrini, executive secretary of the climate advocacy group Observatorio do Clima, described it as an "historic achievement for Brazil."
"With political will, it is possible to curb deforestation and greenhouse gas emissions," Astrini said.
The Amazon rainforest, the world's largest, plays a critical role in global climate regulation. Sixty percent of its area lies within Brazil, and its tropical forests absorb large quantities of carbon dioxide while hosting millions of species.
President Lula will face Flavio Bolsonaro, son of the former president, in a runoff election scheduled for October 25. Polls indicate a close race. Flavio Bolsonaro has indicated he would largely continue his father's policies if elected, though he has also committed to combating organized crime within the Amazon region.
Tropical rainforests continue to face pressure from decades of land clearance for agriculture and logging. Climate change also contributes to conditions that increase the risk of wildfires in these regions.
