The latest figures from the Brazilian government confirm a marked slowdown in deforestation in the Amazon basin. The scale of the phenomenon has been reduced by 11 per cent compared to the previous year. This is the most favourable result since 2013 and at the same time a sign that ongoing measures to slow deforestation are having an effect, despite the varying situation in the country’s regions.
What is the Amazon and why is it so valuable
The Amazon is the largest area of rainforest in the world. It covers areas of several South American countries, with the largest part located in Brazil. The forests here play a key role in shaping the global climate. They store huge amounts of carbon dioxide and influence the water cycle across the continent. The Amazon is also one of the Earth’s richest ecosystems. Countless plant and animal species live here, many of which are found nowhere else. At the same time, the precious natural resources give rise to numerous threats. The greatest of these is the expansion of agriculture and cattle breeding. Intensive land use, mining development and illegal logging are leading to rapid environmental degradation. The loss of more forest fragments reduces their ability to regulate the climate and exacerbates the risk of fires and droughts.
Deforestation in the Amazon – key findings from the report
The published study shows that 5796 square kilometres of Amazonian forests have disappeared in the last 12 months. This represents 11 per cent less than the year before. The document highlights that such a low level of logging has not occurred in Brazil for more than a decade. The information was announced just before a meeting of delegations from 143 countries who had come to Brazil for two days of talks on tackling climate change. The data was intended to show the direction of the country’s efforts and their effectiveness to date.
The Mato Grosso problem
The nationwide decline does not reflect the situation across the Amazon. In the state of Mato Grosso, the rate of deforestation has clearly accelerated. The area is one of the centres of agriculture and beef production. In a three-year period, its forests have shrunk faster than before, and since 2023 the rate of deforestation has increased by as much as 26 per cent. Brazilian media point out that this is the biggest obstacle to achieving even better results.
Deforestation in Brazil and politics
President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva’s policy is to halt the destruction of the Amazon forest. Despite difficulties in some states, the report shows that, across the Amazon, the rate of deforestation has been halved compared to the last year of Jair Bolsonaro’s government. The previous president allowed intensive use of the Amazon’s natural resources. His approach encouraged increasing mining activity and agricultural expansion, leading to further forest loss.
An opportunity for the Amazon
Current data show a clear shift in control of deforestation in the Amazon. Despite local problems, the country is approaching the levels of the beginning of the previous decade. Protecting the area is crucial to the future of the climate and the preservation of biodiversity, so further action will have a significant impact on the global environment.
Source: bankier.co.uk
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