Brazil’s Amazon deforestation reaches record low amid election concerns
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Brazil’s government announced that deforestation in the Amazon rainforest fell to a record low of 3,335 square kilometres between August 2025 and July 2026, a decrease of 41.8 percent from the year before.
This reduction follows a surge in deforestation during the 2019-2022 presidency of Jair Bolsonaro, when over 45,000 square kilometres were cleared.
Current President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva revived a 2004 plan to curb deforestation upon taking office in January 2023, restoring enforcement measures and funding for sustainable development. The government’s plan focuses on strengthening monitoring, promoting a sustainable economy, managing protected areas, and using financial incentives to discourage forest clearing. These efforts included reinstating penalties for illegal deforestation detected by satellites, a practice halted under Bolsonaro, and directing financial support to Amazon municipalities that reduced forest loss.
According to Márcio Astrini of the Climate Observatory, the success demonstrates that Brazil can maintain economic growth while protecting the environment. Despite the positive trend, the Amazon faces ongoing threats from climate change, including a strong El Niño event expected in 2026-2027 which could bring hotter, drier conditions and increase wildfires. Recent fire counts have tripled since the first round of Brazil’s national elections, and authorities are investigating whether these fires were deliberately set.
The outcome of the upcoming presidential runoff between Lula and Senator Flávio Bolsonaro will significantly impact the future of the Amazon, as the candidates have contrasting visions for the rainforest’s protection.
