Record decline in Amazon deforestation rate

Deforestation rates in Brazil’s Amazon region fell last year to their lowest level in a decade, according to official data released on Friday, marking the latest decline in the region under the administration of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.

The National Institute for Space Research (INPE) recorded the clearing of 2,874 square kilometers of vegetation cover in the world’s largest tropical forest between August 2025 and July 2026, representing a decrease of approximately 37% compared to the previous year.

The institute has been tracking deforestation via satellite imagery since 2016.

Speaking while presenting the new data in São Paulo, Lula said, “The figures indicate that if we maintain the current pace and seriousness, and provide the necessary resources, we can achieve this.”

It is worth noting that deforestation rates in the Amazon surged during the tenure of his predecessor, Jair Bolsonaro, peaking in 2022 with 12,500 square kilometers cleared.