Amazon deforestation falls 42% to a record low.
Brazil's national space research institute, INPE, reported that clearing in the Brazilian Amazon fell 42% to the lowest level on record in the 12 months ended July 31, 2026.
Deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon fell to its lowest level on record in the 12 months ended July 31, 2026, according to data from INPE, Brazil's national space research institute. Clearing totaled 3,335 square kilometers (1,288 square miles), an area smaller than the Spanish island of Mallorca. That is 42% below the previous year's figure.
The Cerrado, the wooded savanna beside the Amazon rainforest, also reached a record low. Clearing there fell 24% to 5,516 square kilometers. The Cerrado has been the fastest-deforested biome in Brazil in recent decades, as vast areas were converted to ranchland and industrial agriculture.
According to the report, the decline has accelerated since President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva took office in 2023. His government restored environmental law enforcement, expanded conservation programs, and resumed work to establish protected areas and recognize Indigenous territories.
The report says it is unclear whether the progress will continue. Lula faces a difficult re-election bid later this month. Seven of the nine governors of Amazon states are allied with Flávio Bolsonaro, described as the frontrunner, who has campaigned on reducing protections for the Amazon. A strong El Niño is also developing in the Pacific. Such events are associated with drought in the southern Amazon, and fires typically increase in the year after a strong one.
Deforestation now amounts to about 15% of the Amazon biome, according to research by the nonprofit Amazon Conservation. Scientists estimate that if the figure reaches 20% to 25%, the evapotranspiration system that drives rainfall across the region could fail. That would bring drier conditions, leave the forest more vulnerable to fire, and could cause tropical species to die off. Models suggest the disruption could reduce rainfall in southern South America, the continent's agricultural heartland. Brazil holds just over 60% of the Amazon rainforest.
At a Glance
- INPE recorded 3,335 square kilometers of Amazon clearing in the 12 months ended July 31, 2026, the lowest on record.
- The Amazon figure is 42% below the previous year's total.
- Cerrado deforestation fell 24% to 5,516 square kilometers, also a record low.
- Amazon Conservation estimates about 15% of the biome has been deforested; scientists warn of rainfall disruption at 20% to 25%.
- Brazil accounts for just over 60% of the Amazon rainforest.
Sources
This brief was written by Brightside Report from the reporting linked above. Spot an error? Request a correction.