Overview
- The Oct. 16 government release, based on Prodes satellite mapping, found 3,335 square kilometers of Amazon forest were cleared from August 2025 through July 2026.
- Officials and experts attribute the drop to Lula’s 2023 revival of the PPCDAm plan, the return of veteran environmental staff, and restored satellite-based sanctions and finance rules to punish illegal clearing.
- The government reports deforestation has fallen about 71% since 2023 after a roughly 60% surge from 2019–2022 that saw more than 45,000 km2 lost under the prior administration.
- Fire counts in the Amazon have tripled since Oct. 4 and are being probed for possible deliberate ignition, and scientists warn a likely El Niño could raise drought and wildfire risk in 2026–2027.
- The Oct. 25 runoff will shape whether current enforcement and credit controls continue, a change that could affect local forest communities, Brazil’s greenhouse gas emissions, and global climate outcomes.