Deforestation in Brazil’s Amazon fell by 41.8% in the year to July 2026, the largest drop since records began in 1988, according to satellite data cited by the government. The Cerrado savanna region recorded a 23.8% fall.
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 rainforest’s future a key election issue.
Lula pledged to end Amazon deforestation by 2030 after taking office three years ago and has tightened monitoring and penalties for illegal logging. Forest clearance rose under Jair Bolsonaro. Flavio Bolsonaro is expected to follow his father’s policies if elected, though he has promised to tackle organised crime in the Amazon.
About 60% of the Amazon lies in Brazil. The rainforest absorbs carbon dioxide and plays a role in limiting climate change.
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