Thu Nov 07 08:46:21 UTC 2024: ## Amazon Deforestation Drops to 9-Year Low, but Concerns Remain
**Brasília, Brazil** – Brazil’s Amazon rainforest experienced a 30.6% decrease in deforestation in the past year, marking the lowest level of destruction in nine years, according to government officials. The data released Wednesday shows that between August 2023 and July 2024, the Amazon lost 6,288 square kilometers (2,428 square miles) of forest, an area roughly the size of Delaware.
This significant decrease is attributed to the efforts of President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s administration, which has prioritized environmental protection following the policies of his predecessor, Jair Bolsonaro, who favored agribusiness expansion. During Bolsonaro’s term, deforestation reached a 15-year high.
The decline in deforestation also extends to Brazil’s Cerrado, the world’s most biodiverse savannah. The area of destruction in the Cerrado decreased by 25.7%, the first decline in five years.
Despite these positive developments, environmental groups remain concerned about the potential impact of projects supported by Lula’s government, including the paving of a highway through an old-growth forest, oil drilling near the Amazon River, and the construction of a railway for soy transport.
While the official figures reflect a decrease in deforestation, the impact of a recent historic drought and the resulting surge in forest fires is yet to be fully assessed. While much of the fire damage is classified as degradation rather than clearcutting, the full extent of its impact will be analyzed through ongoing satellite monitoring.
Government officials fear that the deforestation rate may rise next year as the Amazonian city of Belem prepares to host the annual U.N. climate talks, known as COP30. The Amazon, a vital ecosystem that stores massive amounts of carbon dioxide and holds a significant portion of the world’s freshwater, faces a constant threat from deforestation and other environmental pressures.
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