Amazon deforestation drops sharply 

Deforestation in Brazil’s Amazon fell 34% in the first six months of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s term compared with the same period in 2022 under President Jair Bolsonaro, the government says 


DEFORESTATION OF AMAZON RAINFOREST
(Jan-Jun period, square kilometres)

Bolsonaro’s term Jan 2012 – Dec 2022 

5,000
4,000
3,000
2,000
1,000
0

2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023

2,443
1,332
2,213
2,446
3,081
3,605
3,988 
2,649 

Jan-Jun 2023: 2,649 sq km – more than three times size of New York City, but lowest
level of clearing in four years



500km 310 miles


Amazon: World’s largest rainforest – 60% in Brazil

BOLIVIA
VENEZUELA 
COLOMBIA
GUYANA 
SURINAME 
FRENCH GUIANA
AMAZON RAINFOREST
PERU
BRAZIL

Lula, who took office in January, has pledged to end deforestation by 2030

Tree cover loss 2001-2022

Sources: National Institute of Space Research (Inpe), Reuters
Pictures: Newscom, Global Forest Watch
© GRAPHIC NEWS