Brazil’s government announced that deforestation rates across the Amazon and Cerrado savanna regions have declined to historic lows as the nation approaches a significant presidential election. The satellite data covering the period through July 2026 indicates a 41.8% reduction in Amazon deforestation—the largest annual decrease since measurement began in 1988—along with a 23.8% decline in the Cerrado region.
President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who committed to ending Amazon deforestation by 2030 upon taking office three years earlier, will compete in a run-off election scheduled for 25 October against Flavio Bolsonaro. Political observers characterize the race as highly competitive, with polling data suggesting a closely contested outcome. The election’s outcome carries implications for environmental policy, as Flavio Bolsonaro is expected to pursue approaches aligned with his father’s tenure, though he has also pledged to address organized crime activities in the region.
Lula’s administration reversed policies implemented during Jair Bolsonaro’s presidency from 2019 to 2022, when forest protection resources were reduced and deforestation accelerated significantly. During that period, the Amazon region experienced nearly 60% greater forest loss compared to the preceding four years. Lula’s approach has emphasized enhanced environmental monitoring and enforcement measures targeting illegal logging operations, resulting in deforestation declining to six-year lows during his initial year in office.
The Amazon rainforest, which encompasses 60% of its global territory within Brazil, plays a critical role in climate regulation by absorbing substantial quantities of carbon dioxide. Environmental officials highlighted the significance of the recent decline. Brazil’s Environment Minister Joao Paulo Capobianco characterized the reduction as “absolutely stratospheric,” while climate advocacy organizations described it as a historic milestone demonstrating that political commitment can effectively reduce deforestation and greenhouse gas emissions.
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