Deforestation in Brazil's Amazon Falls to Five-Year Low

Facts

• According to satellite data released by the National Institute of Space Research on Thursday, deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon rainforest fell by 22.3% between August 2022 and July 2023 — the lowest since 2018.¹
• Some 9K square kilometers of the world's largest rainforest had been cleared in 12 months compared to about 11.5K square kilometers destroyed the previous year. However, the rate of deforestation remains far from Pres. Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva's pledge to reach zero deforestation by 2030.²
• However, the data suggests the country likely reduced its greenhouse gas emissions by 7.5% in 2020, equivalent to 133M metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions.³
• Last month, the space agency reported the Brazilian Amazon witnessed more than 22K fires amid a severe drought in the region — a 15-year record high for October — despite the government's crackdown on environmental crimes.⁴
• According to a monitoring system linked to the State University of Amazonas, smoke from wildfires has covered Amazonas' capital Manaus twice in October and at least five consecutive days in early November, resulting in very poor or extremely poor air quality levels.⁵
• A separate analysis published by the MapBiomas watchdog has found a 15% reduction in the area occupied by natural forests in Brazil between 1985 and 2022 — mainly due to advancement in agriculture and expansion of farming.⁶

Sources: ¹The New York Times, ²Reuters, ³The Brazilian Report, ⁴France 24, ⁵Folha de S.Paulo and ⁶Agência Brasil.

Narratives

• Left narrative, as provided by Washington Post. Although Lula still has a steep way to pull off his balancing act with competing political and economic interests to tackle illegal deforestation and preserve the world's most important rainforest, this latest sign of success is inspiring. After four years of destruction under former president Jair Bolsonaro, the environmental agenda is finally moving forward.
• Right narrative, as provided by Breitbart. It's outrageous to compare how differently the Western establishment has treated Lula and Bolsonaro concerning the protection of the Amazon rainforest. Global environmentalists, who previously conducted a disinformation campaign against Bolsonaro, have now turned silent as their fellow Lula oversees smoke from wildfires smothering and harming people in that region.

Predictions