Brazil has made significant strides in protecting its Amazon rainforest, with deforestation decreasing by 30 percent in February compared to the same period last year, according to government data.
Preliminary satellite data from the space research agency INPE revealed that 226 square kilometers (87 square miles) of the Amazon were cleared last month, a notable decline from the 322 square kilometers deforested in February 2022. While these figures are encouraging, they remain above the nine-year average of 173 square kilometers for February.
The data for February may be affected by heavy cloud cover over the rainforest early in the month, potentially impacting accuracy. Additionally, February saw a surge in wildfires in Roraima, the northernmost state of Brazil, posing threats to Indigenous communities in the Yanomami territory.
Mariana Napolitano, WWF-Brasil's strategy director, emphasized the importance of cautious data interpretation. “We must be especially careful when interpreting data from January and February, but the trend remains consistent with 2023: a decrease in Amazon deforestation and an increase in Cerrado deforestation,” she noted, highlighting the growing risks to one of the world's most biodiverse savannas.
Under President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's administration, Brazil is working towards its pledge to end illegal deforestation by 2030. While progress in the Amazon is a positive sign, the rise in Cerrado deforestation underscores the ongoing challenges in preserving Brazil's diverse ecosystems.
Reference(s):
Deforestation in Brazil's Amazon down 30 percent in February
cgtn.com
