Brazil has made great progress in reducing deforestation in its Amazon Rainforest. In 2023, the rate of deforestation in Brazil dropped by 50% over the previous year. This was the result of the efforts by conservation-minded President Luiz da Silva, who replaced Jair Bolsonaro, a big proponent of deforestation. Da Silva’s government has cracked down on land clearing by farmers and ranchers.
In the first quarter of this year, deforestation decreased by 40% over the previous year’s quarter. Deforestation levels are the lowest they’ve been in six years, although the amount of forest cleared in the period was still nearly 200 square miles.
Unfortunately, the Amazon Rainforest is facing another growing threat: climate change. Because of pervasive drought and increasing temperatures, the number of wildfires in the region have hit a 20-year high.
According to satellite data from the national space agency, from January through June, Brazil recorded 13,489 wildfires in the Amazon. That is 61% more fires than during the same period last year. And the wildfire season has yet to reach its peak, which usually is in August or September.
Many of these fires begin in pastures or recently cleared rainforest, but then spread into the surrounding rainforest areas. Many are huge fires. Hundreds of square miles of rainforest have been consumed by fire, comparable in size to the areas deforested by farmers and ranchers.
Going forward, worsening wildfires could reverse the gains being made by the government’s deforestation policies. This could not only threaten forest protection, but also weaken public support for the government’s commitment to protecting the region.
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Brazil Is Seeing a Record Number of Wildfires This Year
Photo, posted January 26, 2018, courtesy of Chris Parker via Flickr.
Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio
