Deforestation in Brazil’s Amazon fell by 41.8% in the year to July 2026, the largest decline since records began in 1988, the government says. Satellite data also showed a 23.8% fall in the Cerrado savanna.
The figures come before a 25 October presidential run-off between President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Flavio Bolsonaro, son of former president Jair Bolsonaro. Polls suggest a close race, with the future of the rainforest a central issue.
Amazon forest loss surged under Jair Bolsonaro, whose administration cut resources for forest protection. Lula has since strengthened environmental monitoring and penalties for illegal logging. He has pledged to end Amazon deforestation by 2030; Flavio Bolsonaro is expected to continue his father’s policies if elected, though he has promised to fight organised crime in the region.
The Amazon is a major buffer against climate change, and about 60% of the rainforest lies in Brazil.
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