New data shows encouraging drop in damaging practice in the Amazon — but alarming challenges remain in the region

The Amazon rainforest is often called the "lungs of the Earth," but for years, those lungs have been under siege. Now, there's finally some good news to share. Over the past year, deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon has plunged by nearly 31%, reaching its lowest level since 2015, Mongabay reported.

According to Brazil's National Institute for Space Research (INPE), 6,288 square kilometers of forest — more than 2,400 square miles, or close to the size of Delaware — were cleared between August 2023 and July 2024, according to Mongabay, close to the 2015 record of 6,207 square kilometers cleared.

These results are being celebrated as a major win for conservationists and climate advocates. The Brazilian government, led by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, has cracked down on illegal logging and ramped up sustainable land-use practices, leading to declining deforestation rates over the last few years, per Mongabay.

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According to Reuters, Lula has committed to eliminating deforestation in Brazil by 2030, with the country preparing to host the United Nations' COP30 climate talks in the Amazon region next year.

These efforts are seen as a critical step in preserving the Amazon, which plays a vital role in regulating the planet's temperatures and supporting global biodiversity — the latter of which helps keep our food systems running smoothly, among other things.

This sharp contrast highlights a dramatic shift under President Lula compared to his predecessor, Jair Bolsonaro. During Bolsonaro's administration, deforestation soared to a 15-year high as agribusiness expansion was prioritized over environmental protection, and enforcement agencies were weakened, according to the New York Times, Reuters, and the Council on Foreign Relations.

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Per Mongabay, in the three months following the July data, deforestation rates appear to have stabilized further, according to INPE deforestation alert data. However, September brought alarming challenges. Fires in the Amazon spiked dramatically in September, fueled by an intense drought. Fire hotspots were up 70% from the previous year, and the area impacted by flames ballooned nearly 18 times, Mongabay reported.

These fires often degrade the forest, making it more vulnerable to future clearing. Beyond the Amazon, other ecosystems like the Pantanal wetlands and Cerrado savanna were also hit hard, showing that the battle for Brazil's environment is far from over. Per Mongabay, Lula has also come under scrutiny for approving oil extraction near the Amazon River's mouth and for not halting a proposal for a controversial highway.

Despite these setbacks, the broader picture is promising. Deforestation in the Cerrado also dropped by 25.7%, marking its first decline in five years. And while challenges like infrastructure development and the changing climate loom large, these victories show what's possible when policies prioritize environmental sustainability.

With Brazil holding about two-thirds of the world's rainforest, its continued conservation efforts are key to protecting this global treasure for generations to come.