Deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon Drops Over 60% in July

By Jessica Stewart on August 11, 2023



Photo: gustavofrazao/Depositphotos

The environment is scoring another victory, with data showing that deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon has fallen at least 60% in July compared to last year. Environment Minister Marina Silva shared the news with the Guardian ahead of a regional Amazon summit intended to bolster the protection of this precious resource.

Silva's claim is based on data from the country's deforestation detection system, and while the exact numbers will be released shortly, independent analysts say that the change is incredible. Momentum has been building all year, with government data showing in early July that deforestation had already fallen 34% in the first half of 2023.

The changes come as President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva settles into his first year in office. The new president has made it a point to crack down on land grabbers and illegal miners in an effort to curb deforestation. He's also assigned more land to indigenous peoples and created large conservation areas. Lula ran his campaign on the promise that he would eliminate deforestation by 2030, and the progress his administration has been this year is proof that he's serious about implementing change.



Slash and Burn in Brazilian Amazon
Photo: kristofbellens/Depositphotos

But there is still a lot of work to do, and change cannot come quickly enough, particularly due to the devastation that the Amazon faced under former-President Jair Bolsonaro. During his time in office, Bolsonaro weakened enforcement measures, weakened indigenous land rights, slashed the budget of science and environmental agencies, and fired top experts. This led to a surge in deforestation and some of the worst wildfires the Amazon has seen.

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