Brazil Amazon Deforestation Hits Record Low Before Run-off Election
President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva oversaw a record decline in Amazon deforestation as he faces Flávio Bolsonaro in a high-stakes presidential run-off.
Deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon has fallen to 3,335 square kilometres, the lowest level since records began in 1988. Data from the National Institute for Space Research indicates a 41.8% decrease over the past year and a 71.2% decline since 2022. These gains are attributed to state investment and stronger enforcement under the administration of Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Deforestation in the Cerrado savannah also reached its lowest annual level since 2001.
Regional data shows that Pará recorded the worst deforestation in 2026, accounting for 33.9% of the total, followed by Mato Grosso at 25.5% and Amazonas at 15.7%. Roraima was the only state to see an increase, with a rise of 0.4%.
These environmental achievements face uncertainty ahead of the October 25 presidential run-off election. Lula da Silva faces challenger Flávio Bolsonaro, the son of former president Jair Bolsonaro. While the incumbent views the Amazon as a sovereign asset, Flávio Bolsonaro has courted support from predatory landowners and extractivist interests. Former environment minister Marina Silva warned that the candidate may pursue a project to destroy the rainforest, while the election also signals a potential shift in trade priorities toward the United States.
