The rate of deforestation in the Amazon, known as the world’s largest tropical forests, decreased by 31 percent. The Lula government in Brazil is trying to repair the damage caused by the far-right Bolsonaro administration in the Amazon. Environmentalists, expecting more steps from the government, also draw attention to the biological diversity in the forests. Deforestation levels in the Brazilian Amazon continue to decrease.

According to news in the national press, Brazilian officials noted that the forest loss in the Amazon in the country decreased by 31 percent compared to the previous year, marking the lowest level in the past nine years. Independent environmentalists stated that the Amazon rainforests lost an area of 6,288 square kilometers in the last 12 months.

This is equivalent to an area the size of the U.S. state of Delaware. Environmentalists are urging President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva to make more efforts to protect the Amazon rainforests. Groups expressed concern about the alarming levels of biodiversity loss in the Cerrado region of the country. Despite environmentalists highlighting President Lula da Silva’s efforts to reduce deforestation in the Amazon, the region has suffered significant damage due to oil exploration and railway construction.

Government officials also reminded that one of the causes of deforestation is fires. The left-wing Brazilian government stated that satellite monitoring would enable closer tracking of fires in the Amazon. After winning the presidential elections, Lula promised to protect the “Amazon rainforests,” stating that the government’s goal for 2030 is zero deforestation.

The Amazon, known as the world’s largest tropical forests, experienced significant deforestation every year during the previous far-right President Jair Bolsonaro’s term. It was reported that Bolsonaro had left the Amazon forests under the control of illegal mining gangs. In the record-breaking hottest year of 2023, communities living in the drought-stricken Amazon basin were in need of water and food assistance as they could not continue their agricultural and fishing activities.

The rise in the water temperature in Lake Tefe in Brazil to 39.1 degrees had caused the death of endangered species like 150 river dolphins and pink dolphins.