San Francisco Frontiers - Brazil deforestation hits new low in Amazon

Leftist President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who is seeking re-election in October elections, has promised to eradicate illegal deforestation by 2030.

From January to June, trees were felled across 1,295 square kilometres (500 square miles) -- an area almost twice the size of New York City -- in the Brazilian portion of the planet's largest rainforest.

This is the lowest figure since 2016, according to the National Institute for Space Research (INPE), which tracks deforestation via satellite.

It also represents a decrease of 38 percent compared to the same period in 2025.

Deforestation in the Amazon soared under Lula's far-right predecessor Jair Bolsonaro, peaking in 2022, when an area around 13 times the size of New York City was cleared.

This number was cut in half in 2023, after Lula returned to office pledging to curb Amazon destruction, and has continued to decrease.

The rainforest stores vast amounts of carbon and plays a key role in regulating the climate.

Deforestation also decreased in the Cerrado -- a vast, biodiverse savanna south of the Amazon.

An area of 3,142 square kilometers -- about twice the size of London -- was cleared in the first half of the year, the lowest level since 2021.

Despite progress on deforestation, environmentalists have criticized Lula's backing of an oil exploration project near the mouth of the Amazon River.

The 80-year-old's main rival in the presidential election is Bolsonaro's eldest son Flavio Bolsonaro, who pushed for increased land development and mining on a visit to the Amazonian city of Belem last month.

W.Carter--SFF