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Brazil records historic fall in Amazon deforestation ahead of presidential run-off
Overview
Satellite data shows that deforestation in Brazil's Amazon fell by 41.8% in the year up to July 2026, marking the largest drop since records began in 1988. The savanna region of Cerrado also saw a 23.8% decline. The drop comes as President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva faces a tight election run-off against Flavio Bolsonaro, whose father's previous presidency saw surging deforestation rates.
Key points
- Amazon deforestation fell by 41.8% in the year up to July 2026, the biggest drop since records began in 1988.
- Deforestation in Brazil's Cerrado savanna region dropped by 23.8%.
- President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has pledged to achieve zero illegal deforestation in the Amazon by 2030.
- Lula faces a presidential run-off election against Flavio Bolsonaro, son of former right-wing president Jair Bolsonaro.
- Under Jair Bolsonaro's presidency from 2019 to 2022, forest clearances soared and the Amazon lost nearly 60% more forest lands compared to the previous four years.