AP: Deforestation in Brazil's Amazon drops by nearly 31% compared to previous year
https://apnews.com/article/brazil-amazon-deforestation-lula-wildfires-4a8e25c3dee73ccd942677c192cf3e42Deforestation in Brazils Amazon drops by nearly 31% compared to previous year
By FABIANO MAISONNAVE
Updated 6:37 PM EST, November 6, 2024
AGUA CLARA, Brazil (AP) Forest loss in Brazils Amazon dropped by 30.6% compared to the previous year, officials said Wednesday, the lowest level of destruction in nine years.
In a 12-month span, the Amazon rainforest lost 6,288 square kilometers (
2,428 square miles),
roughly the size of the U.S. state of Delaware.
The results, announced in Brazil´s presidential palace, sharply contrast with President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silvas predecessor, far-right leader Jair Bolsonaro, who prioritized agribusiness expansion over forest protection and weakened environmental agencies. Deforestation hit a 15-year high during his term.
Deforestation in Brazils vast savannah,
known as the Cerrado, decreased by 25.7%, the first decline in five years. The area destroyed reached 8,174 square kilometers (
3,156 square miles). Located in central Brazil, it is the worlds most biodiverse savannah but has fewer legal protections than the Amazon.